Annual; culms 1–2.5 m. high, supported by stilt roots.. Leaf-blades up to 30 cm. long, 17 mm. wide.. False panicle narrow, loose, 20–30 cm. long; spatheoles narrowly lanceolate, 4.5–7 cm. long, the peduncle from half to nearly as long and pilose with white hairs near the top; racemes 2–2.5 cm. long, 4–8-awned per pair, deflexed; raceme-bases subequal, the upper ± 1.5 mm. long, flattened, stiffly setose above, the tip produced into a scarious linear-oblong appendage 1.5–2 mm. long (± 1 mm. in Tanzania).. Homogamous pairs 1 at the base of the lower raceme only.. Sessile spikelet 6.5–8(–9.5 in Tanzania) mm. long, pallid, hispidulous to densely pubescent; callus ± 2 mm. long, pungent; awn 5–7.5 cm. long.. Pedicelled spikelet glabrous to sparsely pubescent, with a slender awn 6–11 mm. long.
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