Culms densely tufted, 25–35 cm tall, ca. 2 mm in diam., 2-or 3-noded, glabrous but puberulent below spike. Leaf sheath of lower leaves usually densely retrorsely pubescent, of upper leaves glabrous; leaf blade usually involute, 6–15 × 0.15–0.2 cm, abaxial surface glabrous, smooth or scabrous, adaxial surface villous and scabrous; ligule ca. 0.5 mm, membranous, apex truncate. Spike erect, dense, 3–8 × 0.5–0.7 cm; rachis densely pubescent; internodes 4–5 mm or ca. 8 mm at base of spike. Spikelets 9–11 mm, with 3–5 florets; rachilla densely pubescent; internodes 1–1.5 mm. Glumes ovate-oblong, 3–5-veined, strongly ciliate along veins, margin broadly membranous; proximal glume 5–7 mm excluding awn; distal glume 6–8 mm excluding awn. Lemma oblong, densely pubescent; first lemma 7–9 mm; callus pilose on both sides; awn recurved, 7–11 mm. Palea slightly shorter than lemma, ciliate along keels. Anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.