A densely tufted perennial. Culms erect, 2–4 1/2 ft. high, moderately slender to stout, terete, simple, 1–4-noded, glabrous and smooth or with the lowest internode pubescent. Leaf-sheaths firm, the lowest densely villous at the base, glabrous and smooth upwards, the upper shorter than the internodes, glabrous; ligule a densely ciliolate rim; blade linear, tapering to a fine point, up to 1 1/4 ft. or more long and 2 1/2 lin. wide, flat, firm, glabrous or nearly so, scaberulous on the closely nerved upper surface and on the margins. Panicle narrow, loose and flexuous, or contracted, 8–16 in. long; rhachis glabrous, scaberulous towards the apex; branches filiform, flexuous, loosely divided, clustered or semi-verticillate, scaberulous, the lower up to 4 in. long; pedicels glabrous, unequal, 1/4–4 1/2 lin. long. Spikelets in threes at the tips of the branches and branchlets, lanceolate, 3 1/2–4 lin. long, brown. Glumes chartaceous, 3-nerved, glabrous, or the lower with a few hairs towards the apex; lower oblong-lanceolate, acute, mucronulate, 2 1/2 lin. long, asperulous; upper linear-lanceolate, acutely acuminate, as long as the spikelet. Lower floret ♂: valve lanceolate, acutely acuminate, subequal to the upper glume or shorter, 3-nerved; valvule linear-oblong, truncate, 1 1/2–2 lin. long. Upper floret linear: callus 1/4– 1/3 lin. long, truncate or slightly emarginate, shortly bearded; valve 2 lin. long, shortly and acutely 2-lobed, thinly coriaceous, minutely pubescent, finely 7-nerved; awn 5–8 lin. long; column brown, 2–3 lin. long, scaberulous; palea linear, 2 lin. long. Anthers 2, 1 lin. long.
