Culms tufted, to 5 m tall; internodes often obliquely swollen, nearly as wide as long, to 4 cm diameter; successive internodes forming a slightly zig-zag pattern; long slender horizontal branches frequent from lower nodes of such culms. Culm-sheaths somewhat flushed with purple when young, quite hairless on the back, on the largest culms to 20 cm. long, top rounded, with a crisped auricle to 4 mm, high on each side of the base of the blade, edge of auricle bearing crisped bristles 4-5 mm, long; blade erect, smooth on the back, and rough hairy on the upper surface, on upper sheaths narrowly triangular with a slightly narrowed base and edges stiffly inflexed towards the pointed apex, edges bristly near the base, line of junctions between sheath and blade not distinct externally in the middle part; ligule to 5 mm. high, lower towards the outer ends, edge sinuous and minutely hairly. Leaf-blades to 15 x 2 cm., lower ones with broad truncate base, stalks short, lower surface very shortly soft-hairy (velvety to the touch), colour as upper surface; sheath auricles usually with fine bristles when young; ligule short.