Tufted annual, 0.2-1.0 m high. Leaf blade 3-20 x 2-8 mm; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence subdigitate, of 2-14 racemes; rachis triquetrous, broadly winged, margins scabrous; pedicels without a corona of hairs, only a few hairs at apex; spikelets abaxial, in clusters of 3 or 4. Spikelets 1.5-1.7 mm long, dorsiventrally compressed; lower glume absent; upper glume shorter to as long as spikelet, 3-nerved; internode absent; upper glume and lower lemma rarely glabrous, usually covered with white clavate hairs. Florets 2; lower floret sterile, lemma lanceolate, 5-nerved, 3 around central nerve close together, nerves thickened, not deeply grooved; upper floret bisexual, lemma dark brown to black, margins flat and covering most of palea. Flowering time Feb.-May.
Tufted annual 200-800 mm high. Leaf blade 30-200 x 2-8 mm. Inflorescence subdigitate, of 2-14 racemes 20-120 mm long; rachis triquetrous, broadly winged, margin scabrous; pedicels without corona of hairs, only a few hairs at apex; spikelets in clusters of 3 to 4. Spikelet 1.0-1.8 mm, hairy or glabrous, hairs clavate; lower glume absent; upper glume shorter to as long as spikelet, 3-nerved, hairy or glabrous, hairs clavate; internode absent; lower lemma 5-nerved, 3 central nerves close together, nerves thickened, not deeply grooved, glabrous or hairy, hairs clavate; upper lemma dark brown to black; anthers 0.3-0.6 mm long.
Annual, tufted, up to 1 m high. Leaf blades 30-200 mm long, 2-8 mm wide. Spikelets 1.0-1.7 mm long, 0.8 mm wide. Racemes 2-14, subdigitate, 20-120 mm long; spikelets in clusters of 3 or 4 on winged rhachis; pedicels without corona of hairs, only a few hairs at apex; upper glume and lower lemma rarely glabrous, usually covered with white clavate hairs; female-fertile (upper) floret dark brown to black.
Annual; up to 1 m high; tufted. Leaf blades 30-200 x 2-8 mm. Flowers: inflorescence subdigitate; racemes 2-14; 20-120 mm long; spikelets 1.0-1.8 x 0.8 mm; spikelets in clusters of 3 or 4 on winged rachis; pedicels without corona of hairs; only a few hairs at apex; upper glume and lower lemma rarely glabrous; usually covered with white; clavate hairs; female-fertile (upper) floret dark brown to black.
Leaf laminae 3–20 × 0.2–0.6 cm., linear, flat, glabrous, sometimes scaberulous on both surfaces, basally often with a few bulbous-based bristles, scaberulous along the margin.
Pedicels 3-nate, 0.5–2.5 mm. long, terete to compressed, minutely scaberulous, broadened at the apex, bearing a poorly developed coronula with cilia up to 0.3 trim. long.
Superior glume 1/3–4/5 of the spikelet in length, ovate-oblong, 3-nerved, hyaline, glabrous or appressed hairy, hairs white, capitate-apiculate.
Inflorescence of 3–7 racemes, 7–15 cm. long, a few together or all solitary along a short common axis, often pseudoviviparous.
Inferior lemma as long as the spikelet, ovate with recurved margins, 5-nerved, hyaline, glabrous or appressed hairy.
Rhachis triquetrous, broadly winged, up to 1 mm. broad, smooth with scabrous margins.
Superior lemma as long as the spikelet, ovate, apiculate, dark brown.
Culms 20–40(80) cm., erect, glabrous, nodes dark and glabrous.
Ligule c. 2 mm. long, rounded triangular, entire.
Spikelets 1.2–1.8 mm. long, ovate.
A loosely caespitose annual.
Inferior glume absent.
Leaf sheaths glabrous.