Rhizome neck 26–62 cm. Culms 3–5 m, 1–2.5 cm in diam.; internodes terete, 15–24 cm, initially gray or light yellow clavate-setose, solid or nearly so; nodes ridged, prominent, with prominent sheath scar. Branches 6–11, solid, 1–3 dominant, setose at base of internodes and sheath scar. Culm sheaths persistent, narrowly triangular, longer than internodes, abaxially variably yellow or yellow-brown adnately clavate-setose, prominently longitudinally ribbed, cross veinlets obscure, margins yellow-brown setose, apex narrowly triangular; auricles absent; oral setae 3–7, white-gray, 2–7 mm; ligule short, convex, glabrous; blade erect or revolute, linear-lanceolate, glabrous, rugose, margins revolute, serrulate. Leaves 3–6 per ultimate branch; sheath purple, glabrous; auricles absent; oral setae 3–5, gray, 1.5–3 mm; ligule very short, glabrous; blade lanceolate, 3–11 × 0.5–1.3 cm, glabrous, secondary veins 2–4-paired, transverse veins slightly visible, base cuneate or broadly cuneate, one margin serrulate, other margin obscurely so. Inflorescence unknown. New shoots Aug.

The shoots are edible, and the split culms are used for weaving.

* 2400–2600 m. W Yunnan.