Coarse, densely tufted perennial; culms erect, commonly 1.5-2 m. high, the nodes bearded, otherwise glabrous; sheaths densely and softly villous, especially toward the summit, less so below, elongate, overlapping, or sometimes, especially the upper bladeless sheaths, shorter than the internodes; ligule 12 mm. long, thin, white, truncate; blades villous like the sheaths, 15-40 cm. long, 5-12 mm. wide, flat or folded, firm; panicles golden-brown, very dense and spike-like, interrupted below, 8-20 cm. long, 2-3 cm. wide, the branches short, appressed, densely villous in the axils with long hairs; spikelets 2.5-3 mm. long, the first glume glabrous on the back, the tip and margins fringed with brown silky hairs.
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