Culms 10–15 m, 6–10 cm in diam.; internodes flexuose, initially green, brown or dark green in age, 30–50 cm, densely glaucous, sparsely setose; wall thick; nodes very prominent. Culm sheath yellow-green, striate, with scattered clumps of setae, more densely setose at base; auricles small; oral setae curved, 1–1.5 cm; ligule arched, 2–3 mm, ciliate; blade reflexed, green, triangular-lanceolate, densely setose. Leaves 3–9 per ultimate branch; auricles developed or sometimes obscure; oral setae deciduous, purple, ca. 8 mm; blade lanceolate, 12–22 × 1.5–3 cm, apical blades to 6 cm wide, glabrous, secondary veins 5- or 6-paired. Pseudospikelets 2 or 3, robust, 4.5–13 cm; florets many. Rachilla articulate, glabrous. Lemma 1.2–1.5 cm, glaucous, glabrous, many veined, apex acute; palea shorter than lemma; lodicules membranous. Stamens with filaments white; anthers purple. Style 1; stigma 3-cleft. Caryopsis brown, ovoid-ellipsoid, ca. 8 × 2 mm, base rounded; style base persistent. New shoots Apr, fl. May.

The culms are used as supports and in small buildings.

* Widespread; low elevations. Guangxi, S Guizhou, S Yunnan.