Stems clustered, rhizomatous, forming colonies, to 1.5 m tall, to 0.6 cm in diam., covered with persistent, fibrous leaf sheaths. Leaf sheaths with coarse, black or brown fibers producing a diagonal mesh; ligules persistent; blades not split to base, divided into 3-6 segments, these with curved sides and ± pointed apices, to 22 × 2-3 cm. Inflorescences borne among leaves, branched to 2 orders; bracts tubular, sheathing, not or scarcely overlapping; rachis to 22 cm; rachillae 2.5-5 cm, ± glabrous; male flowers not known; female flowers ca. 2 mm. Fruits developing from 1 carpel, color not known, ellipsoid, to 0.5 cm in diam., borne on short stalks.

Lowland forests on slopes of limestone mountains; 300-1000 m. Guangxi [Vietnam].