Plant loosely tufted, shortly rhizomatous. Culms 20–50 cm tall, 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths glabrous or puberulous; leaf blades linear or broadly linear, 5–25 cm, 3–8 mm wide, pubescent or abaxial surface glabrous, apex acuminate; ligule 1.5–5 mm, truncate-lacerate. Panicle rather loose or contracted, lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong in outline, 6–10 cm. Spikelets lanceolate-oblong, 5.5–8 mm, green when young, maturing purplish brown; glumes unequal, lanceolate, lower glume 3–5(–6) mm, 1(–3)-veined, upper glume equal to spikelet, 3(–5)-veined; lower florets pubescent on back, apex 2-lobed, lobes acute; first floret usually staminate with palea (rarely stamens abortive), lemma 5–6 mm, lobed in upper 1/3, awned from sinus, awn fine, straight, 1–4 mm; second floret often sterile and epaleate (but sometimes staminate with palea), lemma awned from lower 1/4, apical lobes short or back splitting to awn insertion, awn geniculate, 6–11 mm; bisexual floret 2.5–3.2 mm, smooth, shiny, (3–)5-veined; palea veinless; anthers 2.5–3.5 mm. Fl. and fr. May–Dec.
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