Tall caespitose perennial; culms up to 4 m high. Leaf-blades up to 90 cm long, 3-10 mm wide, flat or markedly channelled, the midrib occupying the greater part of the width, glaucous. Panicle 20-75 cm long, the peduncle glabrous; racemes 2-4(-5) cm long, considerably shorter than the supporting branches, the internodes and pedicels hirsute with hairs up to 7 mm long. Spikelets slightly heteromorphous, 3.8-5.5 mm long, the callus bearded with whitish or greyish hairs up to 2.5 mm long; glumes equal, membranous, lower glume of sessile spikelet hairy on the back, the upper glume glabrous, both glumes of pedicelled spikelet hairy, the hairs at least 4 mm long, often up to 9 mm; lower lemma oblong-elliptic, hairy on the back; upper lemma ovate-lanceolate, ciliate on the margins, acute or very shortly awned, the awn not visible beyond the glumes.