Culms to 7 m, ca. 4 cm in diam.; internodes 18–22 cm, initially very thinly white powdery, glabrous, becoming yellow-green; nodal ridge equaling or slightly more prominent than sheath scar. Culm sheaths brown to gray-green, with dense, variably sized spots forming a cloud on distal portion, thinly white powdery, brown strigose; auricles and oral setae well developed, dark purple; ligule dark purple, arcuate or truncate, ca. 2 mm, apex long ciliate; blade reflexed, abaxially dark purple, adaxially dark green, margins yellow, crinkled. Leaves 2 or 3(–6) per ultimate branch; auricles falcate; oral setae radiate, ca. 1.2 cm; ligule strongly exserted, ciliate; blade 10–15 × 1.3–2 cm. Inflorescence not known. New shoots May.

The shoots are delicious, and the culms are used for tool handles, weaving baskets, and constructing sheds.

* Cultivated. Zhejiang.