Perennial with rambling culms 15-150 cm long. Leaf-blades narrowly lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 2-15 cm long, 8-25 mm wide. Inflorescence 5-25 cm long, the lowest raceme 2.5-10 cm long, its rhachis glabrous to loosely pilose, the spikelet pairs ± distant. Spikelets lanceolate, 2.5-4 mm long, glabrous to pubescent; glumes with smooth viscid awns, the longest in each pair of spikelets 3-10 mm.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: August-September.

Tyne: Ceylon, Hermann (BM).

Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab); tropical regions in the Old and New Worlds.

This is a true forest grass and appears in gregarious patches in open shady places and in glades. The awns are sticky and the ripe spikelets become attached to passing animals, thereby distributing the seed.