Distribution    
In the Hawaiian Islands, endemic to Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Maui, Kaho`olawe, Hawai`i.

Habit
Perennials; culms forming large tufts, erect, up to 20 dm tall, up to 1 cm in diameter at base, glabrous.

Leaves
Sheaths glabrous, pilose or glabrous at throat; ligule a dense row of hairs 0.2-0.4 mm long; blades flat, usually involute toward the slender apex, usually 5-10 mm wide, upper surface scabrous, lower surface glabrous. 

Flowers
Inflorescences paniculate, open, oblong, up to 50 cm long, the branches widely spaced, fasciculate, ascending, usually bearing spikelets nearly to base, axils pilose, the axis and branches smooth in lower part, scabrous in upper part; spikelets 5-10-flowered, compressed, 5-9 mm long, rachilla internodes ca. 0.8 mm long, scabrous, lateral pedicels ca. 1 mm long; glumes 2.5-3 mm long, scabrous, apex acuminate; lemmas loosely imbricate, exposing rachilla, ca. 3 mm long, glabrous, keel scaberulous, apex acuminate or acute; palea slightly shorter than lemma, keel scabrous-ciliate. 

Fruit
Caryopsis reddish brown, ovoid to oblong, trigonous, 0.5-1.5 mm long.