Plants loosely to densely tufted; shoots extravaginal. Culms 60–90(–120) cm tall, nodes 2–3(–4). Leaf sheaths glabrous or basal sheaths hairy, uppermost 15–25 cm, longer than blade; auricles usually absent; leaf blades flat or involute, rigid, (3–)10–26(–30) cm × 3–5.5 mm, margins scabrid, veins 7–13; adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands present, abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow discrete strands; ligule 0.4–0.6 mm, margin ciliolate. Panicle loose, erect or nodding, 8–20(–30) cm; branches 8–12 cm, 1–2 at lowest node. Spikelets 7–15 mm; florets 3–5(–7); glumes long acuminate; lower glume narrowly lanceolate, 2–3.5(–4.5) mm; upper glume narrowly lanceolate, 5–6 mm; rachilla internodes 1.2–1.4 mm, scabrid; lemmas (6–) 6.5–8 mm, smooth or scabrid upward; awns 4–8(–10) mm; palea keels scabrid. Anthers 1.8–2.2 mm. Ovary apex glabrous. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep.

* Grassy mountain slopes, forests, along forest margins; 2900–4100 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.