Perennial, tufted. Culms erect, ca. 90 cm tall, 2–3 mm in diam., 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths loose, not auriculate; leaf blades flat or involute, 15–20 cm, 5–6 mm wide, upper culm blades much shorter and narrower, abaxial surface scaberulous, adaxial surface glabrous or puberulent, apex finely acuminate; ligule 1–5 mm, lacerate. Panicle narrowly oblong in outline, densely contracted, usually interrupted at base, 4–10 cm; branches scabrid; pedicels 1–4 mm, puberulent. Spikelets 12–15 mm, blackish; glumes narrowly lanceolate, 3–5-veined, midvein scaberulous, apex acuminate-subulate, slightly outcurving; callus hairs ca. 1.5 mm; lemma 9–10 mm (including lobes), body appressed-pubescent, apical lobes extended into 4–5 mm awnlets, circlet of hairs 4–5 mm; awn 1–1.5 cm, geniculate at ca. 1/3 above base, column clearly twisted; palea 7–8 mm, appressed pubescent. Lodicules 3, ca. 3 mm. Stamens 3, anthers 1.2–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.
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