Culms 10–15 m, to 6 cm in diam.; internodes initially green, yellow-green in age, 40–50 cm, glaucous, densely setose; cavity pith spongy; nodes weakly prominent. Culm sheaths variable in color, densely glaucous, sparsely setose, nearly glabrous on small culms or at culm apex, margins ciliate; auricles falcate, small; oral setae radiate, 4–6 mm; ligule prominent, short, ciliolate; blade green, triangular, lanceolate, or narrowly lanceolate, setulose. Leaves 3–5 per ultimate branch; sheath margins ciliate; auricles developed; oral setae radiate; ligule short, obscure; blade abaxially light green, narrowly lanceolate, 9–12 × 1.2–2.6 cm, glabrous, secondary veins 4–6-paired, margins serrulate. Pseudospikelets clustered, 4–10(–20) cm; bracts several; florets 10–20. Rachilla internodes 6–8 mm, glabrous. Glumes absent to 2, gradually transformed into lemmas, mucronate, basally and apically usually sterile; lemma papery; palea narrower and shorter than lemma; lodicules subglabrous. Anthers ca. 5 mm. Ovary glabrous; stigmas 3. New shoots May, fl. Apr–May.