Culms to 3 m or more, ca. 2 cm in diam.; internodes initially white powdery, becoming gray-yellow or gray-green with thicker powder below nodes at maturity; nodal ridge strongly elevated, much more prominent than sheath scar; sheath scar flared, margin densely shortly brown setose for first 2–3 years. Culm sheaths unmarked, hairy at base, otherwise glabrous, distally slightly contracted with a nearly truncate apex; auricles ascendant, narrowly falcate; oral setae present; ligule truncate or slightly concave, relatively short, broad, ciliate; blade erect, sword-shaped, flat or wavy. Leaves (1 or)2 per ultimate branch; sheath glabrous; auricles not developed; oral setae few, erect; ligule truncate, short, subglabrous; blade 7–10 × 1–1.6 cm, both surfaces glabrous. Inflorescence not known. New shoots May.