HABIT Annual; culms solitary. Culms erect; slender; 20–45 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tight; 3–6 cm long; keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 4 secondary veins. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 0.5–4 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 0.5–0.6 mm wide; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.
Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels reduced to a stump; flattened; ciliate.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; acuminate; 6–6.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5–1 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 5–5.25 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; hyaline; 1 -veined; with obscure midvein; without lateral veins; ciliate on margins; fringed above; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9.5–11.5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–3.5 mm long; glabrous. Palea elliptic; 0.75 mm long; hyaline. Palea keels tuberculate (papillose above).
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.25 mm long. Anthers 2; 1–1.5 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; 1–1.5 mm long; acute.