Culms 2–3.5 m, 0.8–1.5 cm in diam.; internodes 20–28 cm, flattened, grooved, thickly white powdery below nodes, nearly solid; nodes with level or weakly prominent supra-nodal ridge; sheath scar prominent, with persistent remains of sheath base. Branches 5–15, deflexed. Culm sheaths gradually deciduous, ca. 1/2 as long as internodes, conspicuously longitudinally ribbed only toward their apex, cartilaginous, gray or yellow-gray setose, margins densely yellow-brown setulose; auricles falcate, unequal; oral setae yellow-brown, 2–7 mm; ligule arcuate, short; blade erect, linear-lanceolate, glabrous. Leaves 2–4 per ultimate branch; leaf sheath initially gray setose, margins densely gray-yellow ciliate; auricles developed, purple, falcate; oral setae several, radiating, yellow-brown, 5–12 mm; ligule truncate or arcuate; blade lanceolate, 2–8.5 × 0.5–1.3 cm, glabrous, secondary veins 3–5-paired, transverse veins slightly visible, base nearly rounded or broadly cuneate, margins serrulate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence unknown. New shoots May–Jun.

The culms are split for weaving.

* About 1200 m. W Yunnan.