HABIT	A HARSH, RHIZOMATOUS PERENNIAL GRASS.
STEMS	STOUT, UP TO 1.2 M HIGH.
LEAVES	UP TO 65 CM LONG, 3.8-10.5 MM WIDE WHEN UNROLLED. LOWER LEAF-SHEATHS ARE LEATHERY, OFTEN DENSELY FLABELLATE TOWARDS THE BASE OF THE CULM.
FLOWERS	INFLORESCENCE IS UP TO 60 CM LONG. SPIKES ARE CLUSTERED OR SPACED, 14 CM LONG. SPIKELETS ARE 3-17 FLOWERED, NARROWLY OVATE TO LINEAR-OBLONG, 3-10 MM LONG. LOWER GLUME 0.7-1.5 MM LONG, UPPER GLUME 1.1-2.0 MM LONG. LEMMAS ARE STRAW-COLOURED OR SUFFUSED WITH PURPLE, 1.8-2.7 MM LONG