Perennials, erect, caespitose. Flowering culms to 80 cm high. Leaves: basal leaf sheath margins glabrous; ligule a ciliate membrane (marginal cilia longer), to 0.7 mm long; blade flat or involute, linear, to 25 cm long, to 8 mm wide, with smooth margins. Inflorescence a single spike or of spicate main branches, irregular, contracted and spiciform, to 25 cm long; primary branches solitary, grouped in clusters on rachis, equalling or longer than adjacent internodes, appressed uniformly to axis, spikelet-bearing throughout. Spikelets shortly pedicellate, 2–2.3 mm long. Glumes: lower glume lanceolate, 0.8–1 mm long, acute, 1-nerved; upper glume elliptic, at least half spikelet length, 1.8–2.1 mm long. Lemma lanceolate, 2–2.3 mm long, acute, carinate, 1-nerved. Palea slightly shorter than lemma, entire. Anthers usually 2 or 3, 0.3–0.6 mm long. Grain asymmetrically ovate, subterete, 0.7–0.9 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm wide, to 0.3 mm thick, smooth, pale brown. Embryo ±half as long as grain.
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