Stoloniferous perennial, to 2 (6) m long; culms erect or decumbent, rooting and often geniculate at lower nodes, densely villous at nodes. Sheaths mostly longer than the internodes, stiffly papillose-pubescent; blades mostly 15-25 cm long, to 1.5 cm wide, glabrous with finely scabrous margins. Panicles 10-20 cm long, the branches many, raceme-like, mostly 3-5 cm long, densely pubescent at the base, angulate, scabrid; branchlets and pedicels both scabrid and with sparse, long, stiff trichomes; spikelets 2.7-3 mm long, glabrous, often tinged with purple; first glume approximately one-third as long as spikelet; second glume and sterile lemma covering fruit. Fruits pale, longitudinally striate, minutely transversely rugose. Croat 8679.