Culms 1.5–2 m, 3–6 mm in diam.; internodes 20–30 cm, with a white or brown tomentose and setulose ring below each node, otherwise glabrous or initially puberulent and white powdery; wall 1.5–2.5 mm thick; nodes weakly elevated. Culm sheaths yellow-green when fresh, straw-colored when dry, closely encircling culm, ca. 1/2 as long as internodes, brown or colorless strigose, white tomentose and with striae left by fallen hairs; auricles absent; oral setae developed; ligule brown, arcuate, 0.3–1 mm, ciliolate or not; blade purple, amplexicaul, contracted at base. Leaves 5–7 per ultimate branch; sheath striate, lower part abaxially glossy, upper part brown strigose, sometimes glabrous near margins, margins densely dark ciliate; auricles absent; oral setae erect or suberect, distally curved, to 2.5–3 cm; ligule short; blade oblong-lanceolate, 19–38 × 2.6–4.6 cm, glabrous or abaxially sparsely appressed hispidulous, secondary veins 9–11 pairs, tessellations rectangular or square, base cuneate, margins minutely denticulate, apex narrowly acuminate. Panicles terminating leafy or leafless branches, erect, ca. 26 cm, axis glabrous, strongly ribbed; branches initially appressed to axis, then ± spreading, slender, glabrous, pulvinate. Spikelets pale green, to 4.5–5 cm, fusiform or slightly compressed; florets 12–13; pedicels 8–12 mm. Rachilla internodes 3–3.2 mm, ciliate on ribs. Glumes 2 or 3; lower glume 3.2–4 mm, 3-veined; upper glume 4.5–5 mm, 5-veined; lemmas 6–7 mm, 5–7-veined, glossy, abaxially glabrous, callus white pubescent, margins ciliate toward apex; palea 5.8–6.2 mm, apex obtuse, 2-toothed. Lodicules, stamens, and pistil unknown. New shoots Apr–May, fl. Jul–Dec.