Erect, caespitose annual or perennial. Culms to 65 cm high, 2–4-noded; mid-culm nodes exposed; mid-culm internodes smooth to scaberulous. Leaves: basal sheaths scabrous; ligule 3–8 mm long, acute to obtuse, laciniate; blade flat or involute on drying, to 20 cm long, 1–5 (–7) mm wide. Panicles open, 9–30 cm long, partially exserted when young and shortly exserted at maturity, deciduous, purple at maturity; peduncle scabrous; primary branches clustered, unequal, spreading to divaricate, bare toward base. Spikelets many, (3.5–) 4–6.5 mm long or sometimes longer; pedicel subclavate, scabrous, spreading; rachilla extension c. 50% lemma length, hairy. Glumes diverging, subequal, purplish. Lemma 1.8–3 mm long, villous in lower 2/3, 5-nerved, 4-toothed, with 2 central teeth shorter than laterals, awned; awn arising 25–60% lemma length from base, 5–10 mm long, with column twisted. Palea slightly shorter than lemma, shortly bifid. Stamens 3; anthers 0.6–1.2 mm long.
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