Robust tufted perennial without rhizomes; culms 75-150 cm high, erect, stout. Leaf-blades flat, not ribbed above, up to 60 cm long, 6-23 mm wide, tapering to a rounded base; ligule 3-6(-8) mm long, without auricles. Panicle lanceolate to broadly ovate, 15-30 cm long, lax, the branches ascending or widely spreading, scabrid. Spikelets 3-5-flowered, 10-16 mm long, the florets distant and widely diverging; lower glume 3.5-4.5 mm long, 1-nerved; upper glume 4.5-5.5(-6)mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas narrowly oblong in side-view, scaberulous all over the dorsal surface and shortly asperulous below, 5-nerved, awnless; palea scabrid along the keels; anthers 3-3.5mm long; ovary densely hairy at the tip.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: April-May.

Type: Northwest India, Royle 161 (B).

Distribution: Kashmir; Himalayas and Tibet.

Said to be bad for cattle. 1700-2300m.