Rhaphis orientalis Desvaux, Opusc. Sci. Phys. Nat. 69. 1831; Andropogon wightianus Nees ex Steudel; Chrysopogon sinensis Rendle.

Perennial, tufted, shortly rhizomatous. Culms 30–90 cm tall, glabrous or puberulous below inflorescence. Leaf sheaths glabrous or puberulous; leaf blades linear, 3–10 × 0.2–0.4 cm, lower margins tuberculate-setose, otherwise glabrous, apex subacute; ligule 0.2–0.7 mm. Panicle open, 6–20 cm, purplish brown; branches laxly spreading, 3.5–6 cm, tipped by a single triad. Sessile spikelet 4.7–5.5 mm; callus pungent, 2–4 mm, bearded with golden hairs, obliquely attached to branch apex; glumes leathery; lower glume narrowly lanceolate, smooth, glabrous, pilosulous near apex, apex obtuse; upper glume setulose on upper keel, awned, awn 1.2–1.8 cm; upper lemma entire, awned; awn geniculate, 4–6 cm, column puberulous. Pedicelled spikelet male or barren, 5.3–7 mm; lower glume with 5–15 mm awn. Pedicel 3/4 length of sessile spikelet, ciliate with golden hairs. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep.

Hill slopes, coastal sand at low elevations. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan [India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam].