Compactly tufted perennials. Culms 20–60 cm high, to 2 mm thick, strongly branched; internodes smooth, glabrous. Leaves: ligule 0.3–0.5 mm long; blade involute, setaceous, to 10 cm long, to 1.1 mm wide. Inflorescences 6–25 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide, densely congested and spicate; branches tightly or loosely appressed, 1–3 cm long, bearing spikelets from base. Glumes subequal to normal, 1-nerved, scabrous on keel or smooth, glabrous; lower glume 5–8 mm long, acute, entire; upper glume 5.5–8.5 mm long, obtuse, notched or entire, aristulate. Lemma 5–7 mm long, subequal to both glumes, convolute, scabrous apically, without an articulation or pseudoarticulation; column absent; awns subequal, 8–16 mm long, gently curved; lateral awns flattened. Caryopsis terete, 4–5.8 mm long, less than twice embryo length.
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