Heteropogon triticeus Stapf ex Craib

Culms 80–180 cm high, often divided into more than one branch/stem at the upper nodes; nodes glabrous. Leaves: ligule a short membrane; lower leaf sheaths prominently flattened and overlapping at base, splayed out like a fan, sheath 6–12 mm wide along folded side; blade 20–80 cm long, 3–16 mm wide, flat or folded. Inflorescences 9–14 cm long; racemes of 12–26 spikelet pairs. Lower spikelet pairs: sessile (sometimes subsessile) spikelet with prominent lower glume; lower glume narrowly lanceolate, asymmetrical, 10–21 mm long; anthers 8–10 mm long; pedicellate spikelet as per sessile spikelet with pedicel c. 2 mm long. Heteromorphic (bisexual) spikelet pairs: sessile (subsessile) spikelet outline as per lower glume; lower glume very narrowly lanceolate to linear, symmetrical, 8–12 mm long, coriaceous, brown, grooved on either side of midvein, 5-veined but indistinctly so, with short ± appressed hairs on the dorsal surface (the hairs frequent across the surface but widely spaced and only occasionally touching), margin incurved around upper glume and hyaline on incurved edge; upper glume linear and rounded on the back, symmetrical, as long as lower glume, coriaceous, brown, with hyaline margin, 3-veined but indistinctly so, with hairs widely space along the middle; lower lemma c. 4 mm long; upper lemma c. 5 mm long, with an apical awn 70–150 mm long; anthers (rarely observed) c. 2–4 mm long. Pedicellate spikelets with pedicel 2–3 mm long, spikelets with prominent lower glume; lower glume lanceolate, asymmetrical, 18–25 mm long, glabrous; upper glume a little shorter than lower glume, slightly hairy on margin; lower lemma c. 14 mm long; upper lemma c. 12 mm long, both lemmas awnless; anthers 3–13 mm long. The shared stem within a heteromorphic spikelet pair (or internode) longer than the pedicel of the pedicellate spikelet; callus 3–5 mm long, densely hairy with coppery hairs to 6 mm long close to the spikelets and tapering to c. 0.5 mm long towards the pungent tip.

It is a tropical plant. It grows naturally in open forest and woodlands. It requires sun and well drained soil.

The stems are broken into pieces and chewed for the sweet juice.

Plants can be grown from seed or by division of the clump.