Culms laxly tufted, 70–100 cm tall, 3-or 4-noded, smooth and glabrous, or nodes pubescent. Leaf sheath densely hispidulous proximally, glabrous distally; leaf blade green, flat, 12–16 × 0.3–0.6 cm, abaxial surface and near margin scabrous, adaxial surface pilose. Spike suberect or ± nodding, usually dense, or lax proximally, 10–16 cm. Spikelets 1 per node, green, 10–16 mm excluding awns, with (3 or)4 or 5 florets. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, proximal one 7–8.5 mm, distal one 8.5–10 mm, 5–7-veined, scabrous along veins, margin narrowly hyaline-membranous, apex acuminate or with awn to 6 mm. Lemma narrowly lanceolate, 8–10 mm, glabrous abaxially, apex hispidulous; awn straight or slightly curved, 1–1.7 cm. Palea narrowly lanceolate, subequaling lemma, hispidulous distally abaxially, ciliolate along keels, apex emarginate or truncate-obtuse. Anthers yellow, 2–2.3 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Aug. 2n = 28*.