Vern.: Suhni.

Densely tufted, robust perennial; culms erect, up to 2 m high. Leaf-blades linear, up to 35 cm long and 5 mm wide when flat, flat at first, soon becoming inrolled except sometimes at the base. Panicle up to 40 cm long, very loose and open, the branches capillary, bare at the base. Spikelets purplish, becoming straw coloured; glumes unequal, narrowly lanceolate, the lower 8-12(-l5) mm long, gradually passing into an awn, scaberulous on the keel, the upper 10-15 mm long, bifid at the apex with an awn up to 5 mm long in the sinus, smooth on the keel; lemma 8-10(-15) mm long, equalling or shorter than the upper glume, terete, convolute, smooth, slightly narrowed at the summit but passing into the awn without an articulation; callus narrowly oblong, 0.7-1 mm long, acute; central branch of the awn 3.5-5.5 cm long, the laterals 2.5-4.5 cm long.

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

Type: Northwest India, Royle 64 (LIV).

Distribution: Pakistan (Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab, N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); Northwest India, Nepal and Afghanistan.