Zerna mairei (Hackel ex Handel-Mazzetti) Henrard.

Perennials. Culms loosely tufted, up to 100 cm tall, 7–8-noded. Leaf sheaths sparsely pubescent; leaf blades 20–30 cm × 4–6 mm, adaxial surface thinly pubescent; ligule ca. 1 mm, finely toothed. Panicle spreading, ca. 20 cm; branches 3–5 per node, 5–7 cm, nodding, finely spinulose, each bearing 1–3 spikelets in upper part. Spikelets 20–25 × ca. 10 mm wide, florets 6–8; rachilla ca. 3 mm, sparsely hairy; glumes with membranous margins, apex acuminate into 1–3 mm awn, lower glume 8–10 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 10–13 mm, 3-veined; lemmas lanceolate, 9–12 × 2–3 mm in side view, 7-veined, 3 median veins conspicuously thick, scabrid to hirsute throughout or near margins, awned from apex; awn 10–15 mm, recurved; palea ca. 8 mm, keels ciliate. Anthers ca. 3 mm. Fl. Aug.

This species is sometimes misinterpreted as Bromus sinensis.

* Thickets along margins of Abies forests, river beaches, grassy places; 3900–4300 m. Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang, N Yunnan.