perennial; rhizome oblique, densely beset with barren shoots and the basal portions of dead shoots; culms geniculate-ascending, 1–1 1/2 ft. long, glabrous, smooth, 2-noded; lower sheaths broad, firm, pallid, glabrous, smooth; ligule a ciliolate rim; blades linear, tapering to a long fine point, 3–6 in. by 1 1/2 lin. (when expanded), flat or setaceously convolute, subglaucous, glabrous, smooth below, scaberulous above; panicle erect, ovate, 4–6 in. by 2–3 in., very lax; lower branches in whorls of 7–4, the upper whorled or scattered, ultimately spreading, remotely branched, up to 2 in. long, filiform to capillary, straight or flexuous, smooth; lateral pedicels extremely short; spikelets dark olive-grey, oblong-lanceolate, 5/8– 7/8 lin. long; glumes very unequal, the lower hyaline, oblong, obtuse or subobtuse, equalling 1/3 of the spikelet or less, the upper equalling the valve or very slightly longer, oblong, acute or subacute in profile, 1-nerved; valve very like the upper glume; pale slightly shorter; stamens 3; anthers 1/2 lin. long; grain obovoid, truncate, obtusely quadrangular, slightly compressed, 1/2 lin. long; pericarp thin. null
