Native, warm-season, perennial, tufted grass to 120 cm tall. Flowerheads are spatheate panicles. Flowers from spring to autumn. Most commonly found in ungrazed to lightly grazed areas that have not been ploughed, but have occasionally been burnt (e.g. roadsides, railways, native pastures, woodlands and forests). Native biodiversity. An important habitat for many native animals. Drought tolerant. Frost sensitive, but one of the earliest warm-season native perennials to break dormancy in spring. Palatability and feed quality are low when mature, although young growth is palatable to stock. Shows little response to fertiliser. Decreases under moderate to heavy grazing