Tufted perennial. Culms erect, to 60(–80) cm high; nodes glabrous. Leaves glabrous; sheathes pale to purplish; blade loosely inrolled to flat, to 25 cm long and 4 mm wide; ligule 1–1.5 mm long, long-ciliate. Panicle 10–20 cm long and almost (or quite) as wide as long, fully exserted at maturity, primary and secondary branches finally widely spreading; lowest node of inflorescence with whorled branches. Pedicels flattened, their apices angular. Spikelets 3.5–5 mm long, often dark purplish; lower glume 3- or 5-nerved, acuminate, 2.5–3.5 mm long; rachilla exposed for c. 0.3 mm between glumes; upper glume 5- or 7-nerved, acuminate, 3.5–4.8 mm long; lemma of lower floret equal to upper glume or slightly shorter; palea of lower floret rudimentary or up to c. half as long as its lemma; fertile lemma obtuse to acute at maturity, 2.3–2.7 mm long, hard, shining, dorsally rounded; palea subequal to lemma, flat or slightly convex. Flowers Feb. (1 record)