Compactly tufted perennials. Culms 60–120 cm high, sparsely branched, terete or compressed; internodes smooth or scaberulous. Leaves: ligule to 0.3 mm long; blade involute, to 14 cm long, to 1 mm wide. Inflorescences 12–16 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, densely congested and spicate or loosely contracted towards base; branches loosely appressed, to 8 cm long, bearing spikelets from base. Glumes normal, acuminate, 1-nerved, glabrous; lower glume 5–9 mm long, usually entire, aristulate or awned; upper glume 8–13 mm long, entire, awned. Lemma 6–10.5 mm long, subequal to lower glume, convolute, scabrous only on apical margin, without an articulation or pseudoarticulation; column poorly developed, 1.5–3 mm long; awns subequal, 16–25 mm long, straight or gently curved. Caryopsis terete, 4.8–5.3 mm long, ±twice embryo length.
Grows in Eucalyptus, Bluegrass (Dichanthium spp.) and Mitchell Grass (Astrebla spp.) communities on red earths, loams and clay soils.
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