Plants to 1.5 m tall, with a loose basal tuft of leaves, with shoots conspicuously extravaginal. Culms erect or occasionally geniculate; nodes 2 or 3, exserted, densely sericeous. Leaves: ligule 0.4–1.5 mm long, truncate or occasionally slightly obtuse, glabrous or ciliolate, coriaceous; auricles slightly thickened; blade tightly rolled or expanded, to 50 cm long, to 4 mm wide, with adaxial surface ribbed, scarcely to densely pubescent to glabrous. Inflorescence to 30 cm long, loosely contracted to spreading, sparse; spikelets gaping widely. Glumes unequal, 15–24 mm long, narrowly truncate to slightly acute. Callus (2.5–) 3–4.5 mm long, weakly bent, with slightly reddish brown hairs. Lemma cylindrical, 9.5–15 mm long, finely tuberculate, especially upwards, reddish brown at maturity, with a sparse indumentum of slightly reddish brown hairs; lobes and coma absent; awn 60–100 mm long, with column 45–70 mm long and scaberulous to softly pubescent and bristle scabrous. Palea 50–70% of length of lemma, obtuse or rarely acute. Lodicules 2 or 3; abaxial lodicules oblong; paleal acute or absent.
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