Culms erect, ca. 80 cm tall, rigid, 4-noded, smooth, glabrous. Leaf sheath retrorsely pubescent proximally, glabrous distally; leaf blade linear, flat or involute, 10–15 × 0.2–0.4 cm, abaxial surface smooth, glabrous, adaxial surface scabrous and pilose at base. Spike ± nodding, 7.5–9.5 cm; rachis glabrous but margin ciliate. Spikelets 1 per node, 14–18 mm, with 5 or 6 florets. Glumes green, lucid, broadly lanceolate, suboblique, subequal, 8–12 mm including awn 1–2 mm, 4–6(–7)-veined, nearly keeled along midvein, glabrous, margin broadly membranous. Lemma greenish, oblong-lanceolate, glabrous but scabrous distally and near margin, margin broadly membranous; first lemma ca. 10 mm; awn 2–6 mm. Palea slightly shorter than or subequaling lemma, both surfaces puberulent, hispid-ciliolate along keels distally, apex slightly emarginate or truncate. Anthers yellow, ca. 4 mm. Fl. and fr. late summer. 2n = 28*.