Compactly tufted perennials. Culms (40–) 60–90 cm high. Leaves mostly glabrous and smooth; lower sheaths overlapping; ligule 0.2–0.3 mm long; blade flat or convolute, straight, to 30 cm long, to 5 mm wide, with thick scabrous margins. Panicles terminal and sometimes axillary. Terminal panicles loose to dense, 10–20 cm long, 4–6 cm wide; branches spreading to reflexed, divided, sometimes spikelet-bearing from or near axils. Spikelets pedicellate or almost sessile, becoming laterally compressed, linear or lanceolate, 10–33 mm long, 2–3.3 mm wide, sometimes cleistogamous; rachilla zig-zagged, thick; florets 11–56, closely overlapping. Glumes unequal, ovate or lanceolate, membranous to cartilaginous; lower glume 1.3–1.8 mm long, sometimes nerveless; upper glume 1.8–2.6 mm long. Lemma usually lanceolate, 2.3–3.3 mm long, acuminate to subacute, entire or notched, membranous or cartilaginous with thinner margins, sometimes dorsally gibbous, 3 (–5)-nerved. Palea 1/2–3/4 length of its lemma; body spathulate or elliptic; keels thick, strongly curved, scaberulous. Stamens 3; anthers 0.2–0.3 mm long. Grain scarcely laterally compressed, ovoid or ellipsoid or rarely oblong, 0.4–0.6 mm long.
Grows in or near seasonally flooded sites in alluvial clay or sandy soilsand associated with granite, sandstone, laterite or limestone.
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