Compactly tufted annuals. Culms 32–50 cm high, unbranched or branched, compressed; internodes smooth, glabrous. Leaves: ligule 0.3–1 mm long; blade involute, setaceous, sometime flexuose at maturity, to 16 cm long, to 0.5 mm wide. Inflorescences 12–17 cm long, to 1.2 cm wide, loosely contracted or ±open; branches loosely appressed, to 3 cm long, naked at base. Glumes normal, glabrous; lower glume 6–10 mm long, acute, aristulate, notched or entire, 3-nerved; upper glume 17–19 mm long, notched, awned, 1-nerved. Lemma 5.1–9 mm long, shorter than both glumes, convolute, muriculate apically, with a distinct articulation; column distinct, 10–25 mm long, densely covered with stiff hairs; awns slightly but visibly unequal; median awn strongly recurved, 38–64 mm long; lateral awns 20–41 mm long, terete. Caryopsis terete, 4.5–5.5 mm long, less than twice embryo length.
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