Rhizome neck 14.5–23 cm. Culms 2–3 m, 4–5 mm in diam.; internodes terete, 20–23 cm, with white powdery ring below nodes, initially thinly setulose, nearly solid; supra-nodal ridges prominent; sheath scar prominent. Branches 1 at lower nodes, to 3 at upper nodes. Culm sheaths persistent, triangularly narrowly rounded, leathery, glabrous or yellow setulose at base, margins glabrous or ciliate; auricles and oral setae absent; ligule truncate or convex, ca. 0.5 mm, margins glabrous or ciliate; blade erect or reflexed, linear-lanceolate. Leaves 1–3 per ultimate branch; sheath glabrous; auricles and oral setae absent; ligule purple, arcuate, 0.5–0.8 mm, glabrous, margin fissured; blade narrowly rounded-lanceolate, (3.5–)8–19(–27) × (1–)1.8–5 cm, glabrous, secondary veins 3–10-paired, transverse veins distinct, base rounded to broadly cuneate, margins serrulate. Inflorescence paniculate; spikelets 13–33, purple, 1.2–2.5 cm; florets 3–5; rachilla internodes 3–3.5 mm, white or yellow setulose. Lemma lanceolate, glabrous or apically ciliate, apex mucronate; palea keels setulose, apex bifid. Anthers yellow. Ovary oblong, glabrous. Caryopsis unknown.

* About 1800 m. W Yunnan.