Densely tufted perennial 300-600 mm high; basal leaf sheaths shining, longer than 50 mm; sheaths usually overlapping and enclosing the culms. Leaf blade 75-100(-300) x 1.0-1.5(-2.5) mm. Inflorescence 30-120 mm long, linear, contracted or open, branches slender, adpressed to slightly spreading; lower part of panicle not exerted from leaf; spikelets usually their own length apart and not overlapping for more than half their length. Spikelet 4.0-5.5 x 1.0-1.5 mm; glumes acute to obtuse; lemma 1.8-2.2 mm long, obtuse to rounded, prominently 5-nerved, glabrous except hairy on nerves towards base; margins narrowly membranous; palea keels minutely scabrid; anthers 0.6-0.8 mm long.
Perennial; up to 0.6 m high; densely tufted. Culms 1-noded; lowest leaf sheaths shining; > 50 mm long; overlapping and enclosing culms and lower part of panicle. Leaf blades 75-100(-300) x 1.0-1.5(-2.5) mm. Flowers: panicle contracted; linear; branches appressed; slender; spikelets 4.0-5.5 x 1.0-1.5 mm; lemmas 2.2-2.8 mm long; with 5 prominent raised nerves.
Densely tufted perennial, up to 0.6 m tall. Leaves linear, flat; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a linear panicle, with slender branches appressed to main axis. Spikelets 4-5.5 x 1-2 mm, awnless; glumes shorter than spikelet; lower glume 1-nerved, upper 3-nerved; many-flowered; lemmas rounded, glabrous or hairs present at base, 5-nerved.
Perennial to 60 cm. Leaves linear. Spikelets distant or sometimes shortly overlapping in a narrow panicle 5-15 mm diam., branches appressed or ascending.