Spikelets 8-12 mm. long, 2-4-flowered (if only 2-flowered then with the second floret fully developed, male (?) or usually hermaphrodite).
Inferior glume 4·5-8 mm. long, 1 (very rarely sub-3)-nerved; the superior 6-11 mm. long, 3-nerved.
A caespitose perennial, in habit quite similar to the preceding sp. Culms up to 180 cm. tall.
Lemma 7-14 mm. long (excluding awn), 3-sub-5-nerved; awn 10-16 mm. long.
Anthers 2·5-5 mm. long.