Small tussock of few pale shoots from darkened persistent sheaths, with hairy leaves twisting above but deciduous. Leaf-sheath up to 15 cm, pale green, sometimes reddened or purpled, persistent, interribs hairy, apical tuft of hairs to 2.5 mm. Ligule to 1 mm. Leaf-blade to 40 cm × 1 mm diam., acicular junceous, disarticulating at ligule, abaxially with long (1.5 mm) white, antrorse, hairs aside evident main nerve or between all nerves below, adaxially clothed in dense antrorse short (0.5 mm) hairs becoming sparser; margin with long hairs below becoming smooth above. Culm to 50 cm, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 15 cm, open, pulvinate, long hairy, branches flexuous. Spikelets few, solitary, of up to 6 purpled florets. Glumes < adjacent lemma lobes; lower to 14 mm, 3-nerved, upper to 16 mm, 5-nerved. Lemma to 6 mm, purpled; hairs dense at margins and sparse aside central nerve rarely elsewhere, ≥ sinus; lateral lobes to 6 mm including awn to 3 mm; central awn to 11 mm from twisting column to 4 mm. Palea to 8 mm. Callus to 1 mm, hairs to 2.5 mm. Rachilla to 1 mm. Lodicules to 2 mm. Anthers to 4.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary to 1 mm; stigma-styles to 2.5 mm. Caryopsis to 2.5 mm. 2n= 42. Plates 1B, 8E.
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