Very slender erect caespitose annual or short-lived perennial. Culms to 15 (–45) cm high, 2-noded; mid-culm internodes glabrous or scaberulous. Leaves basal; basal sheaths glabrous, upper sheaths papillose to scaberulous; ligule 2–3.5 (–6) mm long, obtuse to truncate, becoming laciniate; blade flat or folded or involute, filiform, to 8 cm long, 0.3–1 (–1.5) mm wide. Panicles open, to 13 cm long, exserted; primary branches clustered, spreading, bare at base, branching in upper half. Spikelets at ends of branchlets, 2–3 (–4) mm long. Glumes subequal, 2–3 (–4) mm long. Lemma ovate, 1.5–2.3 mm long, entire or obscurely 4-toothed, awned, 4-nerved, glabrous; awn c. 1.5–2 times length of lemma, to 5 mm long, arising near mid-point of lemma, with column twisted. Palea usually vestigial or absent. Anthers 0.2–0.6 mm long.
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