Stiff perennials 50-100 cm, with fleshy rhizomes, forming large dense clumps or swards. Leaf-sheath glabrous. Ligule 2-3 mm, densely ciliate. Leaf-blade 5-40 cm × 5-12 mm, persistent or caducous, coriaceous, flat or inrolled, glabrous, adaxially ribbed, narrowed to fine, hard tip. Culm erect, 5-8-(10) mm diam. at base, including closely ensheathing leaves. Panicle 10-30 cm, erect, contracted; spikes 2-8, 5-15 cm; rachis of each spike glabrous, tipped by bristle 1-4 cm. Spikelets 15-20 mm, 1-flowered, very rarely 2-flowered, oblong, pubescent, falling entire at maturity. Glumes unequal, lanceolate-oblong, acute, with short scattered hairs, keels ciliate; lower ⅔-⅘ length of upper and narrower, 1-nerved, upper = spikelet, 3-6-nerved, asymmetrical. Lemma ≤ upper glume, 1-3-nerved, lanceolate-oblong, obtuse, with short hairs above and on keel. Palea ≥ lemma, hyaline, glabrous. Anthers 8-12 mm, dehiscent. Caryopsis 10-12 ×c. 1.5 mm. Fig. 19. Plate 2C.

Stiff perennial 5-100 cm high, with fleshy rhizome, forming large dense clumps and meadows. Culms stout, diameter over 5 mm, closely sheathed; ligule a row of hairs 2-3 mm long; leaf blades 5-40 cm × 5-12 mm, flat or inrolled, ribbed above, persistent or falling. Panicles usually numerous, erect and contracted, 10-30 cm long, of 2-8 spikes 5-15 cm long. Spikelets closely overlapping, oblong, 10-20 mm × ± 3 mm, usually 1-flowered, pubescent, falling at maturity. Glumes unequal with the lower up to three-quarters length of upper, and narrower; lower glume 1-nerved, ± 12 mm × 1.5 mm, keeled, oblong; upper glume 3- or more nerved, ± 17 mm × 3 mm, keeled, lanceolate-oblong with membranous margins. Lemma slightly shorter than upper glume, 1-3 nerved with broad membranous margins, hairy. Palea slightly longer than lemma, 2- nerved, glabrous. Anthers 8-12 mm, wide, dehiscent, whitish following dehiscence. Pollen ferule.