The persistent sheaths at the nodes are tight-fitting around Rhodocoma gigantea culms. Brown in its lower part, the sheath tends to become frayed and pale in its upper part over time.

The cylindrical and hard culm is smooth and green on its internodes. The sterile, bright yellow-green side-branchlets rebranch and have small, brown sheath-like parts as well (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).