A densely tufted perennial; innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, up to 5 1/2 ft. high, moderately stout, terete, simple, 3-noded, glabrous and smooth. Leaf-sheaths tight, rigid, shorter than the internodes, terete, glabrous and smooth, or frequently densely and coarsely hairy on the margins towards the ligule and on the back at the junction with the blade; ligule a densely ciliolate rim; blade narrowly linear, long-tapering to a fine point, flat, or setaceously convolute when dry, up to 2 ft. or more long and 4 lin. wide, firm, erect, bearded at the base, the remainder glabrous, scabrid on the margins and towards the apex. Panicle narrowly oblong, 9–11 in. long, 1–3 in. wide, contracted and dense; rhachis striate, scabrid, glabrous or sparingly hairy; branches clustered or semi-verticillate, erect, up to 4 in. long, loosely branched upwards, subcapillary and flexuous like the branchlets, scabrid, glabrous or hispid and sometimes tuberculate; pedicels 1/2–1 lin. long, usually bristly with 2–5 stiff yellowish hairs up to 2 lin. long from brown tubercles. Spikelets in threes at the ends of the branches and branchlets, linear-lanceolate, 3–4 lin. long, yellowish-brown, or tinged with purple, bristly. Glumes chartaceous; lower narrowly ovate to ovate-oblong, obtuse or subacute, 1 3/4–2 1/2 lin. long, 3–5-nerved, bristly above the middle on and near the outer nerves with 5–15 spreading yellowish bristle-like hairs up to 1 1/2 lin. long from dark brown tubercles, scaberulous on the nerves; upper lanceolate, acuminate, with a truncate tip, as long as the spikelet, 3-nerved, glabrous. Lower floret ♂: valve similar to the upper glume, but slightly wider and subacute or obtuse; valvule linear, 2–2 1/2 lin. long, membranous, with ciliolate keels. Upper floret linear-lanceolate: callus emarginate, 1/4 lin. long, densely bearded; valve 1 3/4–2 1/4 lin. long, 2-lobed, with acute lobes up to 1/4 lin. long, finely 5–7-nerved, minutely pubescent, thinly coriaceous; awn 3/4–1 in. long, slender; column 4–5 lin. long, minutely pubescent; valvule linear, 1 3/4–2 lin. long. Anthers 2, 1–1 1/4 lin. long.
