Plant loosely tufted or turf-forming, shortly rhizomatous; shoots extravaginal. Culms 30–75 cm tall, nodes 1–2(–3). Leaf sheaths smooth, loose; auricles absent; leaf blades flat or involute, 5–20 cm × 1–2.5 mm, veins 5, adaxial surface scabrid, abaxial surface smooth; adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands absent; abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow discrete strands; ligule 0.2–0.5(–1) mm, margin ciliolate or not. Panicle loose, open, pyramidal, (7–)10–20 cm; branches horizontal or pendulous, (2–)4.5–9 cm, (1–)2 at lowest node, lower 2/3–3/4 naked. Spikelets 4–6 mm; florets 2–3(–4); glumes glabrous, margins membranous; lower glume lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm; upper glume ovate, 1.5–2 mm; rachilla internodes 0.4–0.8 mm; lemmas 3.5–4 mm, smooth; awns absent; palea keels scaberulous to ciliolate toward apex. Anthers 1.2–1.6(–2) mm. Ovary apex moderately hairy. Fl. and fr. May–Aug.