Perennial, tufted, scabrid throughout. Culms ascending, moderately stout, unbranched. Leaf blades linear, flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence an open panicle; branches whorled, distant, bare in lower part; pedicels densely scabrid, apices pale, shallowly cuplike. Spikelets laterally compressed, floret 1, rachilla extension absent or almost so, disarticulating below glumes; glumes equal, lanceolate, papery, prominently 3-veined, apex cuspidate; lemma membranous, slightly shorter than glumes, weakly keeled, 5-veined, apex subacute, awnless; palea as long as lemma, 2-keeled. Stamens 3.