stems 3–4 ft. high, erect, terete, faintly puncticulate; leaf-sheaths 1 1/2–2 in. long, tightly convolute, coriaceous, acuminate, striate, ultimately lacerate at the free end; male spikelets very numerous, in loose, much-branched, erect, panicled cymes 6–10 in. long; branches spreading; each spikelet about 1/2 in. long, at first linear-cylindric, ultimately oblong; spathe lanceolate, bract-like, much shorter than the spikelet; bracts in 6 rows, ultimately spreading, coriaceous, ferruginous, lanceolate, scarcely mucronate, about the length of the oblong stipitulate flower; perianth-segments rigid; outer lateral boat-shaped, the rest rather flat, oblong, acute; the inner shortest; anthers linear-oblong, apiculate; female plant like the male; spikelets less numerous, arranged in a linear, erect, slightly branched cyme, each spikelet about 3/4 in. long, many-flowered; spathe and bracts lanceolate, subacuminate, coriaceous, chestnut-brown; flowers suborbicular, arcuate, flattened; lateral perianth-segments glabrous, deeply keeled, the rest flattish; ovary obovoid; style 1. null
