perennial; compactly tufted, innovation shoots intravaginal; culms erect, very slender, 1–1 1/2 ft. long, glabrous, 1-noded, 3–4 in. above the base, uppermost internode long exserted; leaves crowded at the base, strongly and closely nerved, more or less hirsute with tubercle-based hairs; sheaths tight, shortly bearded at the nodes and often at the mouth, the lower firm, persistent; ligule a ciliate rim; blades linear, acute, 1 1/2–5 in. by 1 1/2–2 lin., rather firm, flat, margins very scabrid; panicle erect, linear to oblong, rather lax or contracted, 2–4 in. long; axis filiform, like all its divisions glabrous; branches alternate or the lowest 2-nate, suberect, loosely divided almost from the base or from 1/4– 1/2 in. above it, ultimate branchlets 4–1-spiculate, capillary, flexuous; pedicels 1–4 lin. long, tips subclavate; spikelets oblong, obtuse, 1 1/4–1 1/2 lin. long, erect, glabrous, pallid or tinged with purple; glumes herbaceously-membranous, nerves running out into teeth; lower broad, ovate, 1/3– 1/2 the length of the spikelet, 3-nerved and 3-toothed; upper glume oblong, 3–5-toothed, 5-nerved, equalling 2/3 to 4/5 the length of the spikelet; lower floret barren, reduced to the valve which is similar to the upper glume and 1 1/2 lin. long; hermaphrodite floret oblong, acute, equalling the lower floret; valve subcoriaceous, white or yellowish or purplish towards the minutely hairy, subrostrate tip, 7-nerved; anthers 1 lin. long. null
