Erect, caespitose annual. Culms 20–30 cm tall, c. 3-noded, smooth. Leaves: basal sheaths glabrous; ligule 2–3 mm long, obtuse, becoming torn at apex with age; blade flat or involute or filiform, 2–7 cm long, 0.5–1 mm wide. Panicles loosely contracted or open, 4–12 cm long, partially or fully exserted; peduncle smooth to scaberulous; primary branches whorled, narrowly spreading or appressed, bare at base. Spikelets many, 3–4 mm long; pedicel clavate, sparsely scabrous; rachilla extension c. 0.5 mm long, long-hairy. Glumes diverging, subequal. Lemma 3–3.5 mm long, villous, obscurely 5-nerved, 4-toothed, with central teeth short and laterals (setae) to 1.5 mm long, awned; awn arising from within 20% of lemma length from base, to c. 8 mm long, with column twisted. Palea shorter than lemma, entire to shortly bidentate. Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.3 mm long.
Growing in a range of habitats including dampsandy flats, calcareous outcrops, seasonal wetlands, around salt lakes, alongcreeklines and in low Mallee scrub.
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