Tufted perennial with tough extensive rhizomes; culms 30-150 cm high, erect. Leaf-blades 6-30 cm long, 3-9 mm wide, flat; sheaths and blades pubescent to villous, occasionally glabrous. Panicle linear, 3.5-13.5 cm long; rhachis with shallow angular ribs below the cupular scars, pubescent; involucre enclosing 2-4 spikelets, each shortly pedicelled; bristles densely to sparsely ciliate, branched, often several times, above the base. Spikelets lanceolate, 4-5.5(-6.5) mm long; lower glume one-third to two-fifths the length of the spikelet, subacute to rotund, rarely apiculate; upper glume about half as long as the spikelet, obtuse, subacute or rarely apiculate; lower lemma acuminate, as long as the spikelet, male; upper lemma acute, firmer in texture and slightly shorter than the lower; anther tips without tufts of hair.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-September.

Type: India, Hoffmeister (C?).

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); Afghanistan, Tibet and the Western Himalayas.

Reported to be abundant and valuable fodder grass above 2000 m.