Plants caespitose, single, or with several shoots; innovation buds intravaginal. Culms 40–110 cm high. Inflorescences lobed (spikelets clustered at ends of long branches). Spikelets 14–18 mm long, with 5–10 florets. Glumes slightly exceeding florets; lower glume 13.4–16 mm long, c. 4 mm wide. Lemma: body 2.8–4 mm long, becoming indurated, glabrous between the rows of tufts, usually golden-brown; both rows of hair tufts complete, with lower row not reaching or equalling upper row; lobes as long as body; setae 2.5–6 mm long, as long as or longer than lobes; awn 12–17 mm long, exceeding setae; awn column tightly twisted, exceeding lobes but shorter than setae. Palea elliptic to ovate, 4.5–6.5 mm long, broad, 1–3 times as long as wide, much exceeding lemma sinus. Anthers 0.5–2 mm long. Caryopsis 1.6–2.2 mm long.
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