Culms to 20 m, 9–12 cm in diam.; internodes 29–42(–55) cm; wall ca. 2 cm thick. Branches several, dominant branches well developed, 5–6 m. Culm sheaths deciduous, leathery; auricles absent; ligule 5–7 mm; blade reflexed, abaxially setaceous. Leaf sheaths initially thinly white powdery, becoming black; ligule ca. 1 mm; blade 25–34 × 2.5–4.2 cm. Pseudospikelets 6–8 per node, clusters 7–11 mm in diam. Spikelets ca. 5.5 mm; florets 4 or 5. Glumes 1 or 2; lemma 4–5 mm, slightly hairy; palea ca. 4 mm, apex obtuse or depressed. Anthers yellow, 2.5–3 mm, apex mucronate. Pistil ca. 6 mm; stigma 1. Fruit unknown.