Perennial, tussocky. Culms stiffly erect, (30–)60–130 cm tall, unbranched, nodes pubescent. Leaf sheaths keeled, longer than internodes, glabrous or thinly pilose; leaf blades linear, flat or folded, 15–60 cm × 4–12 mm, tapering to base and apex, glabrous to sparsely pilose, sometimes with tubercle-based hairs; ligule 2–5 mm. Panicle open, 15–40(–65) cm; branches stiffly divaricate, up to 12 cm, often rebranched, in threes near base, paired to solitary toward apex, varying from closely set and densely spiculate to widely spaced and sparsely spiculate. Spikelets 3.7–6.3 mm, base shortly pubescent; glumes scaberulous on veins, apex acute, acuminate or awned, or only lower glume with a mucro; glume awns up to 7 mm, longer ones very fine; lemma 3-veined, apex acuminate, awned or awnless; awn to 15 mm, straight or undulate, very slender. Fl. and fr. Aug–Oct.

This species is quite different in habit from the others found in China. It is a much more robust plant, tussock forming, taller, and with a distinctive, open panicle of stiffly spreading branches.

Valleys, forest margins, moist grassy slopes, moist field boundaries; 500–1000 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan [E Myanmar, N Vietnam].