Compactly tufted perennials. Culms 53–130 cm high, unbranched or branched, terete; internodes scaberulous or smooth, hairy (fairly densely, especially on lower internodes), glaucous; nodes glabrous. Leaves: ligule 0.3–0.5 mm long; blade flat, coiled or flexuose at maturity, to 21 cm long, to 1.5–2 mm wide. Inflorescences 15–48 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, ±open; branches loosely appressed, to 8.5 cm long, bearing spikelets from base or naked at base. Glumes normal, acute, entire, awned, glabrous; lower glume caducous, 7.3–16.5 mm long, 3–5-nerved; upper glume 8.3–17 mm long, 1-nerved. Lemma 8–20 mm long, subequal to or slightly longer than both glumes, involute, scabrous apically or hairy towards apex, without an articulation or pseudoarticulation; groove smooth; column distinct, 5–9 mm long, hairy or scaberulous, straight; median awn 9–31 mm long; lateral awns extremely short or absent, 1–6 mm long, terete. Caryopsis furrowed in T.S., more than twice embryo length.
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