Slender compactly tufted leafy perennials. Culms 11–60 cm high. Leaves: ligule 0.2–0.3 mm long; blade usually tightly folded, often curled or flexuose, setaceous, partly pilose or hirsute. Panicles spiciform or contracted, 5–13 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide; pulvini often bearded; branches spreading or reflexed, simple or divided, entirely spikelet-bearing. Spikelets shortly pedicellate or subsessile, finally laterally compressed, linear, saw-toothed, 6.5–18 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide; rachilla zigzagged, thick; florets 14–38, becoming loosely overlapping. Glumes usually ±equal (upper glume sometimes longer), linear-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm long. Lemma lanceolate, 1.4–1.7 mm long, obtuse, membranous to cartilaginous, 3-nerved. Palea ±equal to lemma; body spathulate or oblong; keels scaberulous; flaps distinctly narrower than body. Stamens 2; anthers 0.2–0.3 mm long, purple-black. Grain not compressed, ellipsoid to almost globular, 0.3–0.5 mm long, silvery white-striate or pale brown. Pericarp semi-adnate.
Usually grows in deep, white or reddish brown sands on seepage slopes, sandyridges, sandstone plateaux, and seasonally wet areas.
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