Perennial, loosely tufted, scaly buds at base. Culms erect, 60–100 cm tall, scabrid under panicle, 3–4-noded. Leaf sheaths scabrid, lower longer than internodes; leaf blades flat, often involute at margins, up to 40 cm, 3–5 mm wide, adaxial surface densely pubescent, abaxial surface scabrid, apex finely acuminate; ligule truncate, ca. 1 mm. Panicle slightly contracted, 15–25 cm; branches 2–4 per node, ascending, with spikelets to base. Spikelets 8–9 mm, purple or brownish; glumes subequal or upper glume slightly longer, elliptic-oblong, 3-veined, appressed-puberulous, apex acute or obtuse; callus subacute, ca. 0.8 mm; lemma narrowly lanceolate, 6–7 mm, leathery, pilose, margins overlapping and enclosing palea, apex very slightly lobed; awn persistent, 2–2.5 cm, 1-geniculate, column twisted, minutely hispidulous, bristle scabrid. Anthers 4–5 mm, bearded at apex. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.