perennial, cæspitose, quite glabrous except at the mouth of the sheath; culms strictly erect or subgeniculate, 1–2 1/2 ft. long, terete, smooth, about 3-noded, internodes exserted; sheaths tight, terete, smooth, mouth bearded; ligule a fringe of minute cilia; blades linear, setaceously attenuated, 4–8 in. by 1–2 lin., flat or more often convolute, rigid, subglaucous, quite smooth, striate; panicle linear, 4–10 in. by 1/2–2 in., usually straight; rhachis sulcate, scaberulous; branches often 2–5 close together, more or less spreading, usually curved, up to 1 in. long, flat on the back, wavy, simple, bearing spikelets from the base, scabrid; spikelets 1 1/2–3 lin. long, livid, purplish or dark grey; rhachilla joints up to 1/4 lin. long; glumes lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, reddish subacuminate, scaberulous, lower 3/8– 1/2 lin. long, upper 3/4–1 lin. long valves lanceolate in profile, oblong when expanded, acutely acuminate or mucronulate, 1 lin. long; callus very minute, obtuse, glabrous; pales 1 lin. long; keels scabrid; lodicules 1/8 lin. long; anthers 3/8– 1/2 lin. long; grain linear-oblong, oval in cross section, 3/8 lin. long. null
