Culms laxly tufted, erect or geniculate at base, ca. 60 cm tall. Leaf sheath glabrous but pilose or pubescent at base; leaf blade flat, dark green abaxially, glaucous adaxially, 15–22 × 0.5–0.7 cm, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface pubescent. Spike nodding or curved, 8–11 cm. Spikelets 1 per node, green, ca. 12 mm excluding awns, with 2 or 3 florets; pedicel absent or 0.5–0.7 mm, puberulent. Glumes oblong-lanceolate, 3–5-veined, apex acute or acuminate; proximal glume 4.5–6 mm; distal glume 5.5–7 mm. Lemma lanceolate, scabrous or smooth and glabrous; first lemma 8.5–9 mm; callus with hairs 1–3 mm; awn erect, slender, 17–23 mm. Palea slightly shorter than lemma, along keels subsmooth or ciliolate only near apex, apex emarginate or subrounded. Anthers yellowish brown, ca. 1.4 mm. Ovary apex hirsute. Fl. and fr. summer.