Plants rhizomatous or caespitose, erect or clambering. Culms 25–70 cm high, retrorsely scaberulous or smooth. Leaves: ligule 0.1–0.3 mm long, ciliolate; blade flat, 5–20 cm long, 2–8 mm wide, abaxially scabrous. Inflorescences racemose or paniculate, 2.4–9 cm long; rachis scabrous. Spikelets shortly pedicellate, 5–7.5 mm long. Glumes slightly unequal or subequal, with longer one 2/3–3/4 length of remainder of spikelet; lower glume 3–4.5 mm long, dorsally rounded, 5 or 7 (9)-nerved; upper glume 3.4–4.8 mm long, acute, 5 or 7-nerved. Sterile florets: lemmas broadly acute, muticous, 9-nerved, with nerves distinctly raised towards apex, glabrous; upper lemma 4.7–6.7 mm long. Bisexual floret: lemma 4.5–6 mm long, 9-nerved, glabrous; stamens 4; anthers 3.5–4 mm long.
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