Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 75-125 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 30-60 cm long; 3-4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Peduncle hirsute above. Panicle open; lanceolate; 10-20 cm long; 2-3 cm wide. Racemes 1.5-7.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis internodes filiform. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels filiform; villous. Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5-8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 4.5-5.5 mm long; 0.75-1 length of spikelet. Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 4-6 mm long; 0.75-0.9 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5-8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keels. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate, or caudate. Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; hyaline; 0-1 -veined; without midvein, or with evident midvein; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins; acute; muticous, or mucronate. Fertile lemma linear, or lanceolate; hyaline. Lemma margins ciliate. Palea absent or minute. Lodicules 2; cuneate; ciliate. Anthers 3; 2.75 mm long; purple. Flowering from September to January.

Near water or damp places or cultivated.