Harsh tussocky rihozomatous perennial; culms stout, up to 1.2 m high. Leaf-blades up to 65 cm long, 3.8-10.5 mm wide when unrolled; lower leaf-sheaths leathery, often densely flabellate towards the base of the culm. Inflorescence up to 60 cm long; spikes clustered or spaced, 14 cm long. Spikelets 3-17-flowered, narrowly ovate to linear-oblong, 3-10 mm long; lower glume 0.7-1.5 mm long, upper glume 1.1-2.0 mm long; lemmas straw-coloured or suffused with purple, 1.8-2.7 mm long.