Rhizome neck 18–38 cm. Culms 0.35–1.1 m, 1.5–2.5 mm in diam.; internodes terete, 12–18 cm, sparsely yellow setose and white powdery below nodes, nearly solid; supra-nodal ridge prominent; sheath scar prominent, initially sparsely retrorsely yellow-brown setose. Branches absent or rarely 1, without secondary branches. Culm sheaths persistent, light yellow-brown, narrowly rounded, leathery, glabrous; auricles purple, falcate; oral setae many, 2–3 mm; ligule truncate, ca. 1 mm, glabrous; blade readily deciduous, reflexed, triangular-lanceolate, glabrous. Leaves 3–5 per ultimate branch; sheath margins glabrous; auricles purple, elliptic; oral setae many, yellow-brown, 3–5 mm; ligule truncate, margins slightly fissured; blade lanceolate, 11–16 × 0.9–2.2 cm, glabrous, secondary veins 4–7-paired, transverse veins distinct, base broadly cuneate or rounded, margins serrulate. Inflorescence paniculate; spikelets with 5 or 6 florets; rachilla internodes ca. 1/2 as long as florets, apex puberulous. Lemma scabrous; palea margins ciliate at apex. Anthers white. New shoots Aug–Sep.