perennial, tufted, simple from a more or less tuberous base, 1 1/2–2 ft. long, glabrous, smooth, 2–3-noded; basal leaves 3–4; sheaths loose or tight or the lowest open, firm, glabrous, striate; ligule a line of hairs; blades linear from a clasping and sometimes ciliate base, long tapering to a fine point, up to 1/2 ft. by 2 lin., the uppermost very short, convolute to subsetaceous or involute below the middle, firm, glabrous, smooth or scaberulous above; panicle linear to linear-oblong, erect, loose or rather dense, usually subsecund, 4–5 in. long; rhachis glabrous; branches in semi-whorls or pairs or solitary, unequal, up to 3/4 in. long, rarely longer, erect or spreading, 3–1- (rarely to 7-) spiculate, subcapillary, glabrous; pedicels up to 6 lin. long; spikelets oblong, 3 1/2–4 lin. long; glumes subequal, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 3–3 1/2 lin. long, glabrous, 5-nerved, often purplish; lower empty valve linear-oblong, truncate, apiculate, exceeding the lower glume, scabrid to hispidulous above and on the keel, transversely rugose or not, bearded at the base in front and behind; upper empty valve similar, slightly longer and narrower, usually mucronate, transversely rugose, rarely smooth, base shortly contracted with a callous projecting ridge and a long beard on each side; fertile valve linear-oblong, 3 1/4 lin. long, truncate, apiculate, glabrous, 5-nerved, with a knob on each side of the base; lodicules ciliate, 1/2– 2/3 lin. long; stamens 6; anthers 1 3/4–2 1/2 lin. long; stigmas plumose. null
