Densely caespitose, of low to medium stature (7)-9-17-(43) cm; with stiff, semi-pungent, pale greyish green leaves, their sheaths often imbricate and of ± equal length, usually overtopped by densely villous culms bearing dense cylindrical panicles; branching intravaginal, sometimes extravaginal at base. Leaf-sheath abaxially glabrous, scabrid, pubescent or rarely ± villous. Ligule 0.3-0.8-(1.6) mm, rim-like or truncate, sometimes erose, ciliate, abaxially glabrous or hairy. Leaf-blade 1.2-9-(21) cm × (0.5)-0.6-3.2-(5.5) mm, usually folded, involute, or convolute, or sometimes flat, linear-lanceolate or narrower, abaxially minutely scabrid to densely pubescent or sometimes villous, midrib often prominent below, adaxially scabrid or pubescent on ribs; margin with minute prickle-teeth or longer hairs, apex hooded, acute to acuminate. Culm (1)-4-27-(35) cm, pale green to purple, internodes sparsely to densely pubescent to villous, very rarely glabrous. Panicle densely contracted, usually cylindrical (to spike-like) occasionally interrupted especially at base, (1.3)-2.6-5.0-(7.3) × (0.3)-0.8-1.5-(2.2) cm; branches erect, pubescent, appressed to rachis. Spikelets (3.8)-4.3-5.2-(6.9) mm, 2-3-flowered, pale green, purplish or golden. Glumes subequal, sometimes scabrid above and on keel; lower 3.5-3.8-(4.8) mm, 1-(3)-nerved, oblong, with prickle-teeth on upper ½ to ⅔ of keel, upper (3.2)-4.0-4.5-(6.1) mm, 3-nerved, ovate, with prickle-teeth on upper ⅔ of keel. Lemma 3.5-6.0 mm, 3-5-nerved, oblong, narrow obovate, or lanceolate, acute, acuminate, or obtuse, entire to mucronate or shortly awned and sometimes minutely bidentate; awn apical or subapical, to 1.5-(3.2) mm. Palea 3.0-5.2 mm. Callus hairs 0.3-0.6 mm. Rachilla 0.8-1.0-(1.4) mm with hairs to 0.5 mm; prolongation c. 1.5 mm with hairs to 0.3 mm. Lodicules (0.7)-0.8-1.2 mm, ± bifid, erose. Anthers 0.6-1.1 mm. Gynoecium: ovary c. 0.7 mm; stigma-styles c. 1 mm. Caryopsis 2-2.5 × 0.6-0.7 mm.
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