Stem up to 35-40 cm long and upto 0.7 mm thick, without spines; lower intemodes up to 10 cm long. Leaves linear, 10-40 x 0.5-1 mm, acute; with 2-3 teeth on the apex, flexible, minutely serrulate, c. 30 or more teeth on each margin, midrib without spines. Sheath wider than the laminae, prolonged on each side, narrowly triangular or deeply auriculate with 8-15 teeth on each side. Flowers without spathe, 1-2 per axil, staminate in the upper axil. Male flowers: 2-3 mm long, anther 4-thecous. Female flower: style with 2-3 stigmas. Fruits oblong-ellipsoid to subcylindric, 1.75-2.25 mm long. Amok irregular in shape and size, quadragular, rectangular to hexagonal.

Fl. Per.: July-Sept.

Type: Aegyptus., Delile (vide Dandy l.c. 1971).

Distribution: Tropics of Africa, Asia and Australia. Introduced into some parts of Europe (Italy, Romania & Bulgaria) and North America.