Very tall, stout tussock with sharp, flexible leaves, and inflorescences with pendent branches. Leaf-sheath green under white epicuticular wax, glabrous. Ligule to 1 mm. Collar light brown, glabrous. Leaf-blade to 2.5 m × 2 cm, soft, flexible, tapering to thin point; abaxially glabrous below becoming very scabrid from rows of abundant prickle-teeth, adaxially glabrous except for caducous long hairs near margins; margins long hairy below becoming lightly prickle-toothed. Culm to 3.5 m, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 1 m, branches pendent; rachis scabrid, branches and pedicels short stiff hairy, long hairs at axils and below spikelet. Spikelets to 20 mm, of 2-3 florets. Glumes ± equal, to 15 mm, ≤ florets, 1-nerved. Lemma to 1 mm, 3-nerved, scabrid above; lateral lobes to 2 mm; hairs to 7 mm radiating from below and < lemma; central awn to 13 mm. Palea to 4.5 mm, attenuated, apex hair-tipped, keels ciliate, interkeel and flanks scabrid above. Callus hairs to 1.5 mm. Rachilla to 0.5 mm, glabrous. Lodicules to 0.75 mm. Anthers of ☿ flowers to 3.7 mm, yellow; of ♀ flowers to 2.2 mm, white. Gynoecium: of ☿ flowers ovary to 0.6 mm, stigma-styles to 1.75 mm, of ♀ flowers ovary to 0.75 mm, stigma-styles to 2.5 mm. Caryopsis 1.5-2 mm; embryo to 0.75 mm; hilum to 1 mm. 2n= 90. Fig. 17. Plate 8A.
While generally classed as a coastal plant, it will grow from sea level to an altitude of 600 metres or so, generally on the edges of swamps or streambanks.
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