Tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial; culms 45-180cm high, usually erect. Leaf-blades flat, 10-30cm long, 5-15mm wide, glabrous. Panicle ovate or pyramidal, 10-40cm long, very lax and up to 20 cm wide, the branches in groups of up to 6, flexuous, spreading or deflexed. Spikelets 3-4mm long, pale green, rarely purple; glumes ovate to ovate-elliptic, membranous with hyaline margins; lemma slightly shorter than the glumes or as long as them.