HABIT	A STOUT , MUCH-BRANCHED ANNUAL GRASS.
STEMS	CULMS 0.9-1.5 M TALL, SPREADING BELOW, ROOTING AT THE LOWER NODES, INTERNODES SMOOTH, POLISHED.
LEAVES	10-50 CM LONG AND 1.5-5 CM WIDE, NARROWED FROM A BROAD CORDATE BASE TO AN ACUMINATE TIP, SMOOTH ON BOTH SURFACES, MARGINS SPINULOSELY SERRATE; MIDRIB STOUT; SHEATHS LONG, SMOOTH; LIGULE A VERY NARROW MEMBRANE.
FLOWERS	BORNE IN 2.5-6.3 CM LONG RACEMES, NODDING OR DROOPING FROM LONG PEDUNCLES; MALE RACEMES 1.5-4 CM LONG, ERECT, SPIKELETS MOSTLY PAIRED; FEMALE RACEMES ENCLOSED WITHIN A BEADLIKE AURICLE, WHICH IS WHITE TO GREEN OR BLUISH, GLOBOSE, 0.6-1.2 CM LONG, HARD.
FRUITS	UTRICLE, OBLONG-CYLINDRIC, TRUNCATE AT APEX, ROUNDED AT BASE.
SEEDS	SUBCYLINDERIC, TRUNCATE AT APEX, REDDISH BROWN.