Stout robust tufts from a short rootstock. Culms (30)–45–80–(120) cm. × 2–4 mm. Lvs = or > culms, very and densely crowded at base of culm; sheaths dull brown, up to 18 cm. long; lamina narrow-linear, glab. abaxially, margins strongly involute when dry, smooth at the base, scabrid towards the tip. Panicle 20–60 × 2.5–5 cm., ± drooping, branchlets often in ± distant clusters. Spikelets 1- or very rarely 2-fld, 9–14 mm. long, on slender peduncles or ± sessile. Glumes 4–5, purple-black, the 2–3 outer glumes empty, lanceolate with a long scabrid awn, the inner 1–2 shorter, deeply concave. Stamens 4–6. Style-branches 4–(5). Nut 5–6.5 × 2–2.5 mm., ovoid to elliptic-ovoid, brownish orange, or rarely cream, smooth and shining, occ. slightly grooved, tip darker, obtuse, rarely scaberulous, wider than the short persistent stylebase; endocarp distinctly transversely grooved within.