Dactylis spicata Willdenow, Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin Neue Schriften 3: 416. 1801; Elytrophorus articulatus P. Beauvois; Sesleria spicata (Willdenow) Sprengel.

Culms tufted, erect, 10–50 cm tall. Leaf sheaths loose, glabrous; leaf blades up to 25 cm, 2–4 mm wide, often as long as the inflorescence, abaxial surface scabrous, adaxial surface hispidulous on veins, pilose near ligule; ligule 0.5–1 mm. Inflorescence 2–30 cm, globular spikelet clusters 3–7 mm in diam., discrete or confluent into a narrow cylinder. Spikelets broadly ovate, ca. 4 mm, florets 3–7; lower glume 1.5–2 mm; upper glume 1.5–2.5 mm; lemmas 2.5–3.5 mm (including awn), extended into an awn of variable length but commonly about as long as lemma body; palea wings very variable in size and shape, often conspicuous, apex dentate. Anthers 1–3, 0.3–0.5 mm. Fl. and fr. May–Nov.

Wet places, often in rice fields. Hainan, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; tropical Africa, Australia].