Native, warm-season, perennial, tufted grass to 1 m tall. Stem nodes are (virtually) hairless. Flowerheads are subdigitate with 3-4 erect branches that are pressed together and bare at their base for a short distance. Spikelets are paired, with an unstalked awned spikelet and a stalked unawned spikelet. The awned spikelet is hairy and has a single pit; 4.7-5.3 mm long in B decipiens and 5-7 mm long in B. macra. Flowers from late spring to autumn. Mostly found on hillslopes and drier, low fertility soils that are not too acid. B. decipiens is more common in the north and B. macra more common in the south. Native biodiversity. Increases in abundance with over-grazing as it readily colonises bare and disturbed areas. Responsive to increased fertility, but grows well in unfertilised areas. Not very palatable, although quality is moderate if plants are kept short; this is hard to achieve. Quality quickly declines if allowed to become stemmy or