Perennial; up to 1.5 m high; shortly rhizomatous; tufted. Basal parts bulbous; rounded in silhouette; basal sheaths with ribs 0.5-1.1 mm wide. Leaf blades 3-5(-7) mm wide; usually curved inward or loosely rolled; sparsely hairy; base tapering; gradually tapering to apex; margins not ciliate. Flowers: inflorescence digitate; racemes (40)60-100(170) mm long; spikelets light-coloured; loosely arranged; palea glabrous or with sparse hairs.
Perennial, short-rhizomatous and tufted, up to 1.5 m high. Leaf blades 3-5(-6) mm wide (usually curved inward or loosely rolled, sparsely hairy, base tapering, tip gradually tapering, margins not ciliate). Basal parts bulbous, rounded in silhouette; basal sheaths with ribs 0.5-1.1 mm wide. Racemes often longer than 80 mm, with light-coloured spikelets loosely arranged; palea glabrous or with sparse hairs.
Old basal leaf sheaths with veins forming ribs 0.5-1.1 mm wide; racemes usually > 80 mm long, spikelets loosely arranged and light-coloured.