Moderately tall, caespitose perennial; culms up to 1.25 m high. Leaf-blades up to 60 cm long, 34 mm wide, flat or convolute. Panicle up to 20 cm long, the peduncle appressed hirsute; racemes 1.5-7.5 cm long, the internodes and pedicels hirsute. Spikelets all alike, 4.5-7 mm long, the callus bearded with silky white hairs 4.5-5.5 mm long; glumes coriaceous below, glabrous on the back, ciliate on the margins above, the lower 4-6 mm long, oblong-ellipitic, acute or acuminate, the upper 5-8 mm long, lanceolate, caudate-aristulate; lower lemma elliptic, nerveless or 1-nerved with the nerve sometimes excurrent as a short awn, ciliate on the margins; upper lemma very narrowly lanceolate or subulate, ciliate on the margins.

Type: Afghanistan, Koeie 2159 (C, BM), 2159a (K).

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P.); Afghanistan and Iran.