Perennial, loosely tufted. Culms erect, 50–70 cm tall, 3–4-noded, nodes pubescent with retrorse hairs. Leaf sheaths pubescent; leaf blades flat, 10–20 cm × 4–6 mm, adaxial surface pubescent, abaxial surface and margin scabrid; ligule 1–3.5 mm, brown. Panicle 10–25 cm, simple; branches 1–3 per node, spreading or drooping, bearing 1–3 spikelets. Spikelets 1.5–2.5 cm, florets 6–12; lower glume narrow, 5–8 mm, 1-veined, apex acute to awned, upper glume 7–12 mm, 3(–5)-veined, keel scabrid, apex often shortly awned; lemmas 8–10 mm, herbaceous, 5–7-veined, hairy near margins, apex acuminate; awn as long as or longer than lemma, 10–15 mm, scabrid, recurved outward; palea shorter than lemma, apex obtusely rounded, keels spinulose. Anthers 2–3 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug. 2n = 14.