Isachne chinensis Merrill; I. truncata var. cordata A. Camus; I. truncata var. crispa P. C. Keng; I. truncata var. maxima P. C. Keng.

Perennial, shortly rhizomatous. Culms erect from ascending base, 30–80 cm tall, internodes short, nodes pubescent. Leaf sheaths longer than internodes, overlapping, glabrous or pilose, outer margin ciliate; leaf blades lanceolate, regularly distichous, 5–11 × 0.8–1.4 cm, abaxial surface glabrous to densely pubescent, adaxial surface glabrous or puberulous, margins strongly thickened, base rounded to cordate, apex acuminate; ligule ca. 2 mm. Panicle open, finally ovate, 8–20 cm, glandular; lower primary branches in groups of 2 or 3, upper single, long naked below, scaberulous; pedicels 2 to several times longer than spikelets. Spikelets obovate or subglobose, (1.8–)2–2.2 mm, green or brownish; florets similar; glumes subequal or lower slightly shorter, very broadly ovate, 9–11-veined, glabrous or upper or both pubescent, apex subtruncate but margins incurving; lemmas subleathery, smooth, pilose toward apex especially on margins, and also at base of floret, otherwise glabrous. Fl. and fr. Aug–Oct.

The habit of this species is distinctive, with closely overlapping leaf sheaths obscuring the culm, hairy nodes, and a glandular panicle with the lower branches often 2 or 3 together. The smooth florets are also characteristic.

Mountain slopes, forest margins. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Vietnam].