Culms tufted, erect, 30–60 cm tall, 2-or 3-noded, glabrous. Leaf sheath glabrous or pilose at base; leaf blade glaucous, involute, (2–)6–16 × (0.1–)0.3–0.5 cm, stiff, abaxial surface smooth, glabrous, adaxial surface and margin scabrous. Spike erect, 6–15 cm. Spikelets 1 per node, 13–15 mm excluding awns, with 3–5 florets. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, proximal one 4–7 mm, distal one 6–8 mm, both 3-veined or distal one 5-veined, margin scarious, apex acute or acuminate. Lemma oblong-lanceolate, scabrous abaxially, scabrous or hirsutulous along veins; first lemma 9–11 mm; awn reflexed, 15–30 mm, scabrous. Palea slightly shorter than or subequaling lemma, abaxially hirsutulous in distal half, ciliolate along keels, apex truncate. Fl. and fr. late summer. 2n = 42*.