Perennial, loosely tufted, scaly buds at base. Culms erect, 60–150 cm tall, 1.7–3 mm in diam., smooth, 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths smooth, lower longer than internodes; leaf blades usually convolute, occasionally flat, 20–60 cm, 3–7 mm wide, abaxial surface smooth, adaxial surface scaberulous, sometimes also pilose, apex finely acuminate; ligule truncate, 0.5–2 mm. Panicle contracted, often dense, 10–30(–60); branches 3 to several per node, suberect or narrowly ascending, with spikelets to base. Spikelets 7–10 mm, yellowish green or purple; glumes subequal, elliptic-oblong, 3-veined, smooth or scaberulous, often scabrid-spinulose on midvein, apex acute or denticulate; callus acute, 0.5–1 mm; lemma narrowly lanceolate, leathery, 5–8 mm, densely pilose, hairs slightly longer upward, 1–2 mm at awn base, margins overlapping and enclosing palea, apex entire; awn persistent, 1.5–2.5 cm, 1(or 2)-geniculate, column twisted, minutely hispidulous, bristle scabrid. Anthers ca. 4 mm, bearded at apex. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.
Home