Rhizomatous perennial; culms 50-150(-185) cm high, erect or ascending. Leaf blades linear, 15-35 cm long, 3-5.5 mm wide, flat or convolute when dry, scaberulous; ligule truncate, 1-2 mm long; sheaths, or at least the lower retrorsely scabrid or hispid. Panicle 20-40 cm long-, lax, the branches distant, 6-15 cm long, ascending, spreading or deflexed, bearing spikelets on filiform pedicels 2-6 mm long. Spikelets oblong, 8.5-13 mm long, with 2-3 fertile florets scarcely distinguished from the sterile and separated by internodes 2-2.5 mm long; glumes elliptic or lanceolate, acute, broadly membranous, the lower 3.5-4.5 mm long, the upper 4.8-6.3 mm long, lemma of fertile floret elliptic-oblong, 7-8.5 mm long, acute or subacute with narrowly membranous tip, strongly 7-9-nerved, scaberulous.

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

Type: Northwest India, Royle 376 (LIV).

Distribution: Pakistan (N.WFP.); Himalayas and northern India.