Tufts perennial, usually fine-leaved and low-growing, 5-15-(40) cm; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath membranous, sparsely ribbed, smooth, rarely minutely scabrid, green to light brown. Ligule 1-3-(5.5) mm, ± oblong, sometimes slightly tapered, denticulate, abaxially sparsely prickle-toothed. Leaf-blade (1)-2-10 cm × 0.8-2 mm wide, usually folded and appearing narrower, abaxially smooth except near tip, adaxially scabrid on prominent ribs; margins scabrid, tip subobtuse. Culm 1.5-15-(30) cm, erect or ascending, longer culms often projecting beyond uppermost sheaths, internodes minutely, retrorsely scabrid. Panicle 2-10-(20) × 1.5-7-(12) cm, delicate, rather contracted at first, later lax; branches few, filiform, finely scabrid, tipped by 1-few spikelets. Spikelets (2)-2.2-3.5 mm, green to purplish. Glumes subequal, acute, scabrid on midnerve in upper ½ or almost throughout, hyaline margins with a very few prickle-teeth near tip; lower slightly longer, linear-lanceolate, upper elliptic-lanceolate. Lemma 1.2-2-(2.3) mm, ⅔-¾ length of glumes, usually densely covered by stiff, straight hairs, ovate-oblong, truncate, lateral nerves scarcely excurrent; awn 0.2-2-(3) mm, straight, very fine, often purple, from upper ⅓ of lemma. Palea c. ⅔ to ≈ lemma, keels c. 0.1 mm apart, slightly excurrent, apex minutely bifid, sparsely prickle-toothed. Callus ringed with short hairs to c. 0.3 mm, c. ¼ length of lemma. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm, tipped by equally long, or slightly longer hairs. Lodicules c. 0.3 mm, linear, acute. Anthers 0.2-0.5-(0.6) mm. Caryopsis 0.8-1.4 × 0.4-0.6 mm.
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