Erect, caespitose perennial. Culms 50–65 cm tall, 2 or 3-noded; mid-culm nodes glabrous; mid-culm internodes smooth below to very slightly scaberulous above. Leaves: basal sheaths glabrous; ligules (3–) 5–6 mm long, acute, membranous; blade involute, to 20 cm long, but often less than 10 cm, to 0.5 mm wide. Panicles open, 10–25 cm long, exserted, strongly purple; peduncle scabrous; primary branches whorled, divaricate to spreading. Spikelets many, (3.3–) 3.5–4 mm long; pedicels scabrous; rachilla extension plumose, (1.5–) 1.7–2 mm long including hairs. Glumes diverging, unequal with lower one slightly longer. Lemma 1.7–2.1 mm long, villous, 5-nerved, entire at apex or minutely 4-toothed, muticous or occasionally with a very fine awn or bristle to 2.5 mm long arising from near apex. Palea shorter than lemma, entire. Stamens 3; anthers 0.7–0.9 mm long.
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