Robust, lax tufts. Leaf-sheath glabrous, ± striate, lower ± purplish. Ligule 2-3 mm, chartaceous, ± irregularly rounded. Leaf-blade to 70 cm × 8-12 mm, abaxially ± glabrous, adaxially scabrid on prominent ribs; margins glabrous or prickle-toothed. Culm to 130 cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 20-30 cm, erect, nodding above, and lower branches also nodding; branches binate at nodes, very slender, naked for ½ to ¾ length, spikelets crowded distally; pedicels 0.5-2 mm, villous. Glumes unequal, membranous, scarious, glabrous, ovate, acute, keeled, 3-nerved; lower 6-7 mm, mostly ≥ lower floret, upper 7-8 mm, > second floret. Florets pale straw-coloured. ♂ florets: lemma 5-6.5 mm, oblong-ovate, lobes c. 1 mm, chartaceous with scarious tips, long hairs on keel below, minutely scabrid above, margins ciliate with soft, silvery hairs; awns 3.5-6 mm, slender, ± straight, insertion 3-4 mm above base; palea 4-5.5 mm, membranous, irregularly finely scabrid on keels; lodicules 1-1.6 mm, ± ovate, lobed, acute, glabrous; callus hairs to 1.25 mm; anthers 2-3 mm. ☿ floret: lemma 4.5-6 mm, narrow-ovate, glabrous, apex minutely hairy, muticous to subapically mucronate 0.25-0.5 mm; palea 4-5.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, keel 1-(2) finely irregularly ciliate; lodicules 0.75-1 mm, ovate-oblong, abruptly tapering, often lateral lobed, glabrous; anthers 1-1.5 mm; gynoecium: ovary c. 1 mm, stigma-styles 4-5 mm; caryopsis c. 2 mm, embryo 0.5 mm, hilum 0.75 mm. Fig. 11. Plate 5D.
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A grass. It forms loose tufts. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m tall. It has a short creeping rhizome or underground stem. The leaves are 5-12 mm wide.
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