Tufted leafy perennials, very variable in size, usually ± erect, but occasionally with prostrate culms, 5-45 cm, leaves overtopping panicles, or panicles projecting beyond leaves; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath firmly membranous, very pale creamy brown, closely ribbed, glabrous, later shredding into fibres. Ligule 1-5 mm, truncate, irregularly denticulate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 2-16 cm × 0.5-1 mm diam., folded and inrolled, sometimes flattish and up to 2 mm wide, tough, abaxially smooth with midrib prominent only near base and scabrid near acute tip, adaxially strongly, closely ribbed, ribs finely prickle-toothed; margins scabrid. Culm erect or slightly geniculate at base, internodes finely scabrid below panicle or occasionally smooth. Panicle 2-10-(12) cm, contracted, erect, densely elliptic-or linear-oblong; rachis, branches, and pedicels erect and closely scabrid. Spikelets 3.5-5 mm, greenish purple. Glumes subequal, usually finely scabrid especially near acuminate tip, keel strongly scabrid throughout or only above. Lemma (1.5)-1.8-2.2-(2.5) mm, glabrous, 5-nerved with nerves thickened and sometimes minutely scabrid above, ovate, truncate and shortly 4-toothed, always awned; awn 3-4-(5) mm, middorsal, scabrid, very fine, usually flexuous and twisted near base, often projecting well beyond glumes. Palea 0.4-0.7 mm, ovate-elliptic. Lodicules 0.5-0.6 mm. Callus with minute tufts of hair on either side of lemma base. Anthers 0.5-0.9 mm. Caryopsis 1.2-1.6 × 0.4-0.5 mm. 2n= 84.
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