Loose, dull green tussocks; leaves semi-pungent, usually « mature culms, disarticulating at ligule; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath pale stramineous, glabrous, rarely long scattered hairs; apical tuft of hairs (0.5)-1-2-(3) mm. Ligule 0.2-0.3-(0.6) mm. Leaf-blade to 30 cm, folded or tightly rolled, sometimes almost filiform, glabrous or rarely some long scattered hairs, margins scabrid near base and again towards tip. Culm to 50-(70) cm, internodes smooth but minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle erect, to 10 cm, usually ± compact, of several spikelets; rachis and filiform pedicels closely short-scabrid with slightly longer hairs below spikelets and sometimes at branch axils. Spikelets (3)-4-5-(6)-flowered, awns slightly exserted from glumes. Glumes purplish centrally, lanceolate, subobtuse, (6)-7-10-(11) mm, ± equal; lower 5-7-nerved, upper 3-5-nerved. Lemma 2-3-(3.5) mm, 7-9-nerved, upper and lower rows of hairs usually sparse or lacking between dense marginal tufts, upper row < lemma lobes, lower row overlapping upper, glabrous and shining elsewhere, rarely one or two hairs centrally; lobes 1-2.5-(3) mm, tapering to a minute to short fine awn; central awn 2.5-5.5-(6.5) mm, column 1-2 mm, occasionally not developed, ≈ palea and upper lemma hairs. Palea 3-4 mm, ≈ upper lemma hairs, interkeel glabrous, margins rarely with a few long hairs. Callus c. 0.5 mm, marginal hair tufts much overlapping lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.5-1 mm. Anthers 0.5-1.3 mm. Caryopsis 1.2-1.8 × 0.5-0.7 mm; embryo 0.5-0.7 mm; hilum 0.2-0.3 mm. 2n= 72. Plate 12B.
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