Perennial, tufted from a short rhizome. Culms ca. 100 cm tall, 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths shorter than internodes; leaf blades gray-green, flat or rolled, 4–15 cm, 2–3 mm wide, smooth; ligule lanceolate, 4–5 mm. Panicle open, broadly ovate, up to 25 cm; branches 2–6 per node, up to 10 cm, smooth, lower 1/2–2/3 bare. Spikelets gray-green, apex purplish gray; glumes lanceolate, 8–9 mm, glabrous, apex long acuminate into beak; callus glabrous; lemma narrowly lanceolate, 5–6 mm, back pubescent, glabrescent at maturity; awn caducous, 4–7 mm. Anthers ca. 3.5 mm, bearded at apex. Fl. and fr. Aug–Sep.