culms 1 1/2–4 ft. long, erect, 3–4-noded, glabrous; sheaths rather loose, glabrous, the lowest at length usually breaking up into fibres; ligules membranous, short, hairy; blades linear, from a very narrow base, tapering to an acute point, the lowest 1/2–1 ft. by 1–2 lin., the upper very short, rigid, usually convolute, glabrous or bearded at the base, smooth below, margins scabrid, midrib stout; panicle spiciform, 2–8 in. long, cylindric, very dense; branches and branchlets very numerous, crowded, appressed; pedicels fine with clavate tips, 1/2–1 1/2 lin. long., with long fine hairs below; spikelets about 2 1/2 lin. long, pale or purplish, enveloped by hairs 5–6 lin. long; glumes ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or subobtuse with the tips ciliate, usually 5–7-nerved; lower valve oblong, obtuse, denticulate, ciliate, nerveless, upper ovate, acute, glabrous, nerveless; anthers 1 1/2–2 1/4 lin. long; stigmas 1 1/2–2 1/2 lin. long, purple. null
