Caespitose. Culms to 120 cm high; basal culm internodes often swollen. Leaves: ligule 4.5–12.5 mm long; blade to 32 cm long, 2.5–5 mm wide, adaxially scabrous on veins, abaxially glabrous to scabrous. Panicles to 35 cm long; primary branches paired or clustered, appressed. Spikelets 12–18 mm long, with 3–7 cleistogamous and/or chasmogamous bisexual florets; pedicel to 25 mm long. Glumes unequal; lower glume 4.8–6.8 mm long, 3–5-nerved; upper glume 6.4–9.2 mm long, 5–7-nerved. Lowest lemma 6–8 mm long, (2 or) 4-toothed, 7-nerved with nerves extending into the hispid and usually purplish bristles, glabrous and shining or papillose; inner pair of teeth including bristles 2.7–3.8 mm long, with outer pair usually shorter or not developed; awn arising between 30–45% of lemma length below tip, 14.5–18 mm long, geniculate, with column twisted. Palea acute. Caryopsis 1.7–2.2 mm long.
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