Culms ca. 80 cm tall, 3–4 mm in diam., scabrid, 4–5-noded, nodes dark. Leaf sheaths subequaling internodes, papery, scaberulous; leaf blades 20–35 cm, 7–7.5 mm wide, scabrid, apex acute; ligule 6–9 mm, lacerate. Panicle 23–27 cm; branches 3–5 per node, up to 10 cm, laxly ascending, densely scabrid. Spikelets lanceolate, 2–3 mm, green; glumes as long as spikelet, scabrid on back and veins, apices exceeding floret; lemma lanceolate, 1.7–2.5 mm, pallid, scaberulous near apex, glabrous below. Anthers ca. 0.9 mm. Fl. Sep.