DistributionNative to northern Africa, now introduced to many regions as an ornamental. In the Hawaiian Islands, naturalized on Kaua`i, O`ahu, Lana`i, Maui, Kaho`olawe, Hawai`i.

Habit

Perennials; culms densely tufted, 2-13 dm tall, upper part scabrous, glabrous on basal portion. 

Leaves

Sheaths 6-15 cm long, long-pilose at throat, otherwise glabrous; ligule a dense row of silky hairs 1-1.5 mm long; blades rigid, glaucous, 50-60 cm long, convolute, midrib noticeably thickened on upper surface. 

Flowers

Panicles pink to purple, cylindrical, 6-30 cm long, rachis cylindrical with shallow angular ribs, glabrous to pilose; spikelets 1-3 per fascicle, the fascicles borne on slender, pubescent stipes 1-3 mm long, each spikelet lanceolate, 1 spikelet sessile, the others short-pedicellate, 4.5-6.5 mm long, at least the inner involucral bristles loosely plumose near base, scabrous toward apex, the longest ones 16-40 mm long, outer involucral bristles 4-12 mm long, scabrous, occasionally rachilla prolonged beyond second lemma as a tiny bristle; first glume minute, ovate to suborbicular, up to 1/3 the length of the spikelet, or absent, second glume 1-3 mm long, 1/4-2/3 the length of the spikelet, nerveless, glabrous; first lemma membranous, as long as the spikelet, 3-nerved, apex attenuate, apiculate, scabrous; second lemma membranous, 6-7 mm long, 5-nerved, apex attenuate, apiculate, scabrous; second palea membranous, slightly shorter than second lemma, inconspicuously 2-keeled. 

Fruit

Caryopsis oblong-obovoid, ca. 2.5 mm long. 

Chromosomes

2n = 18, 27, 54