Perennials. Culms 13–50 cm high. Leaves usually hirsute with simple and tubercle-based hairs; lower sheaths overlapping; ligule c. 0.2 mm long; blade usually flat, becoming curled and reddish with age, to 25 cm long, to 4 mm wide. Panicles compactly capitate, globose or oblong, 0.5–2.2 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, hirsute; branches thickened, divided or entirely spikelet-bearing, with prominent pulvini. Spikelets ±sessile, ovate, c. 5 mm long and 2 mm wide; rachilla zig-zagged, thick, with biconvex internodes; florets 9–11, closely overlapping. Glumes ±equal and 1.3–2 mm long or the lower smaller, ovate or lanceolate, membranous to cartilaginous. Lemma ovate, 1.8 mm long, acute to subobtuse, membranous to cartilaginous, 3-nerved, often reddish. Palea ±equal to lemma; body obovate or elliptic, glabrous with apex minutely scaberulous; keels narrowly winged. Stamens 3; anthers 0.3–0.4 mm long. Grain not compressed or laterally compressed, ovoid, 0.5–0.6 mm long, brown, white-striate. Pericarp adnate or tardily free.
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