Inferior glume flat or broadly convex on the back with 5–7 intercarinal nerves, brown, sparsely villous, minutely truncate.
Inflorescence of 1–5 racemes each 7–12 cm long, villous with white or violet hairs.
Leaf laminas 1–4 mm wide, often involute, glabrous or pubescent, acuminate.
Superior lemma bifid for 1/3–1/2 its length, with an awn 10–15 mm long.
Spikelets 6–8 mm long, narrowly lanceolate.
Inferior lemma 5–6 mm long, hyaline.
Culms 50–100 cm high, erect.
Caespitose perennial.