Perennial, loosely tufted. Culms erect, 70–150 cm tall, 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths smooth, lower longer than internodes; leaf blades usually flat, up to 40 cm, 4–10 mm wide, abaxial surface smooth, adaxial surface smooth or scabrid, apex finely acuminate; ligule truncate, up to 1 mm. Panicle open, 10–30 cm; branches usually 2 per node, laxly ascending to widely spreading at maturity, lower part bare or with spikelets to base. Spikelets 7–10 mm, pallid or green; glumes subequal, elliptic-oblong, 3-veined, midvein scabrid, apex acute or denticulate; callus obtuse, 0.3–0.5 mm; lemma narrowly lanceolate, 5.5–7.5 mm, leathery, pilose, hairs slightly longer below awn, margins overlapping and enclosing palea, apex rounded, not lobed; awn persistent, 1–1.8 cm, 1(or 2)-geniculate, column twisted, scabrid throughout. Anthers 4–5 mm, bearded at apex. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.