Perennial, densely tufted. Culms 10–50 cm tall, 2–3-noded. Leaf sheaths glabrous or scaberulous, shorter than internodes; leaf blades gray-green, filiform, usually rolled, 6–20 cm, 1–2 mm wide, abaxial surface smooth or scaberulous, adaxial surface pubescent; ligule lanceolate, 2–7 mm. Panicle laxly contracted to linear, 6–20 cm; branches 2(–4) per node, erect or ascending, longest ca. 1/3 panicle length. Spikelets yellowish green, apex purplish; glumes lanceolate, 5–8 mm, apex sharply acuminate; callus glabrous; lemma narrowly lanceolate, 3–5 mm, densely pilose with 0.4–0.5 mm hairs, apex minutely 2-lobed above awn insertion; awn caducous, delicate, 3–7 mm, slightly bent at insertion. Anthers 1.7–2.5 mm, densely bearded at apex. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug.