Perennial 300-750 mm high; rhizome long, slender. Leaf blade 100-300 x 2-6 mm; auricle absent or poorly developed; ligule 2-3 mm long. Inflorescence almost candelabrum-shaped, 150-330 mm long, branches rigid, flattened on the inner side, borne in remote pairs, unbranched and bare for most of their length, lower branches ±as long to longer than central axis; branches with 1-6 spikelets at apex. Spikelet 8-12 mm long, 3-6-flowered, without rachilla extension; glumes unequal to ±equal, 1-3-nerved; lemma acute, awnless; anªthers 2.5-3.0 mm long.
Perennial; up to 0.75 m high; rhizome long and slender. Leaf blades 100-300 x 2-6 mm; ligules 2-3 mm long. Flowers: panicle open; almost candelabrum-shaped; 150-330 mm long; branches long; rigid; straight; flattened on inner side; borne in remote pairs; unbranched and bare for most of their length; bearing 1-6 spikelets at apices; lower branches almost as long as central axis; spikelets 8-12 mm long; closely 3-6-flowered; glumes and lemmas not awned.