Perennial, culms 3 – 6 m tall, 2 – 5 cm in diam., erect , internodes variously coloured, green, yellow, brown, red, purple or combinations in strips, often waxy, juicy, sweet, glabrous. Sheaths glabrous or pubescent, older ones deciduous; collar large and prominent; ligule membrane c. 5 mm long, usually ciliolate; blades mostly 1 – 2 m X 3 – 6 cm, glabrous except just above the ligule. Spikelets 2.6 – 4 mm long; lower glume 2.8 – 4 mm long, herbaceous. Anthers yellow, stigmas purple.
