Erect perennial, 70-150 cm tall; culms glabrous, with stout roots at lower nodes. Sheaths papillose-hispid; blades 15-45 cm long, 8-16 mm wide, scabrid and sparsely papillose-hispid above, glabrous to scabrid below, the margins scabrous. Racemes terminal or axillary, mostly 5-10 cm long; peduncles scabrous, sheathed; rachis thick, cylindrical, jointed; spikelets appressed, paired, one perfect and sessile, the other staminate and on a thick pedicel; both perfect and staminate spikelets ca 4 mm long, minutely papillate, bifid at apex, the margins scabrid; first glumes indurate; second glume about equal, tightly appressed to rachis. Fruits not seen. Croat 5853.