Annual, growing in spreading clumps, 20-50 (70) cm tall, glabrous except for tufts of trichomes at apex of sheaths and at base of racemes. Sheaths flattened, pubescent near margin at apex, margins hyaline; ligules membranaceous, ca 1 mm long, erose; blades 7-25 cm long, 3-5 (8) mm wide, often conduplicate, sometimes sparsely pilose above, scabrous on margins. Inflorescences of 2 to several spikes, the spikes 5-10 cm long, digitate or with 1 or 2 a short distance below; spikelets solitary at each node, each spikelet of few to several flowers, sessile, 2-5 mm long; glumes shorter than the first floret; glumes and lemmas with a scabrid keel, green near the keel, otherwise very light. Fruits dark brown, finely ridged, enclosed in a loose, thin exocarp. Croat 10305. Occasional, in clearings. Flowers throughout the year, principally in the rainy season.