Perennial with stout rhizomes; culms often tufted, geniculate at the base, up to 70 cm high, hairy throughout their length. Leaf-blades up to 30 cm long, 1.5-3 mm wide, flat, glaucous, velutinous on both sides; sheaths densely pubescent with short, white, reflexed hairs. Panicle 10-20 cm long, usually simple, the branches 1-2(-3) together, each with 1 spikelet. Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, laxly 7-9-flowered, 23-30 mm long, glabrous; lower glume very narrowly lanceolate, laxly 7-9-flowered, 23-30 mm long, glabrous. lower glume very narrowly lanceolate, 6.5-8.5 mm long, 1-nerved; upper glume narrowly lanceolate, 8.5-10 mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas oblong-lanceolate, the lower 10-12 mm long, 5-7-nerved, scaberulous on the nerves, minutely 2-toothed at the tip with an awn 3-5 mm long; palea shorter than the lemma, shortly ciliolate on the keels; anthers 5-6 mm long.