Culms ca. 8 m, 4–6 cm in diam.; internodes deep green, becoming green or yellow-green, to 25 cm, initially thinly white powdery, gently concentrated toward middle; nodes initially purple, conspicuously elevated, nodal ridge more prominent than sheath scar. Culm sheaths green or green-brown, with purple-brown spots, denser centrally, sparsely deciduously hairy or subglabrous; auricles and oral setae absent; ligule convex, ± decurrent on both flanks, ciliate; blade reflexed, green, with yellow margins, linear, flat or wavy. Leaves 3–5 per ultimate branch; sheath initially puberulent; auricles suborbicular; oral setae fimbriate, 5–10 mm; ligule strongly exserted; blade 9–17 × 1–1.2 cm, abaxially pubescent especially along midrib. Flowering branchlets spicate, 8–10 cm; scaly bracts 4 or 5, gradually larger; spathes 5–10, puberulent between veins; auricles small or absent; oral setae few, blade small. Pseudospikelets 1 per spathe. Spikelets lanceolate, 2.5–3(–3.5) cm; florets 1 or 2. Glumes (absent or)1 or 2(or 3); rachilla pubescent; lemma 2.2–2.4 cm, pubescent; palea shorter than lemma, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, keels ciliolate; lodicules linear or elliptic, ca. 5 mm. Anthers ca. 1 cm. Stigmas 3. New shoots Apr, fl. Apr–May. 2n = 48*.

The shoots are delicious, and the culms are used for various purposes.

* Cultivated. Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang.