Perennial, robust, caespitose from a short woody scaly rhizome. Culms erect, 1–3 m tall, 3–10 mm in diam., usually fasciculately branched, many-noded, internodes somewhat glaucous, nodes purple. Leaf sheaths glabrous but pilose at mouth; leaf blades flat or involute, 20–70 × 0.4–1 cm, glabrous or adaxial surface pilose, apex long acuminate; ligule 1–2 mm. Panicle ample, loose to dense, glistening, 30–70 cm, branches slender, nodding; pedicels 1–4 mm. Spikelets 6–9 mm, florets 4–10, lowest sterile, resembling glumes but somewhat longer; glumes golden-brown or purplish, glabrous, subequal, 2–3 mm, acute; lemmas purplish, ca. 4 mm, lateral veins ciliate with white, soft, ca. 2 mm hairs, awn recurved, 1–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug–Dec.