Plant: Perennial grass from a hard, knotty base, 50-150 cm; inflorescence usually 3-5 spicate branches, these 5-8 cm long, single at the nodes; spikelets 3-4 mm long, acute to abruptly pointed; first glume absent, second glume 3-nerved, pubescent with rather long, soft hairs on the margins; grain nearly orbicular.