Culms to 12 m, 8–12 cm in diam.; internodes initially green, purple striate, 40–60 cm, densely setose; cavity pith spongy or lamellate; nodes weakly prominent. Culm sheaths purple-brown, green-brown on smaller culms and at culm apex, unspotted, shorter than internodes, slightly glaucous, setose in scattered clumps, margins ciliate; auricles small, rugose; oral setae 1–1.5 cm, scabrid; ligule truncate or weakly prominent, 2–3 mm, dark brown ciliate; blade green-brown, triangular or lanceolate, broad, scabrous. Leaves 2–5 per ultimate branch; sheath glabrous; auricles small; oral setae sparse, 5–10 mm; blade broadly linear-lanceolate, 13–25 × 2–4 cm, pubescent or subglabrous, secondary veins 5–7-paired. Inflorescence unknown. New shoots Apr.