Densely tufted perennial; culms 1-1.5 m. high, stiffly erect, scabrous below the panicle; sheaths compressed, keeled, hirsute, hispid on the collar, all much longer than the internodes; ligule densely ciliate, about 2 mm. long; blades as much as 35 cm. long, 2 cm. wide, long-acuminate, narrowed toward the base, scabrous, especially on the margins; panicles 15-30 cm. long, erect, densely spike-like or rather loose, narrowed above, the axis scabrous and rather densely villous, the branches appressed or stiffly ascending, the lower ones 1.5-3 cm. long; bristles 1 or 2 below each spikelet, 1-2 cm. long, antrorsely and retrorsely barbed; spike-lets 2-2.5 mm. long, subspherical, appearing inflated; first glume broad, obtuse or subacute, apiculate, 5-nerved; second glume two-thirds as long as the spikelet, obtuse; sterile lemma as long as the fruit, the palea well developed; fruit turgid, minutely crested, finely cross-wrinkled.
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