Small perennial tufts, 5-15 cm, narrow, glaucous; branching extravaginal at plant base, intravaginal above; leaf-blades persistent. Leaf-sheath shining, greenish or reddish purple, later light grey-brown, membranous, glabrous, ribs conspicuous. Ligule 0.2-0.7 mm, apically glabrous, entire, rounded or sometimes centrally narrowed to a point, abaxially minutely papillose. Leaf-blade 1-6-(9) cm × 0.6-2 mm, usually folded, abaxially smooth, but scabrid on midrib near curved tip, adaxially glabrous, but shortly hairy above ligule and occasionally with a few prickle-teeth on midrib, lateral ribs indistinct; margins inrolled, shortly prickle-toothed. Culm 2-9-(16) cm, internodes often closely short-scabrid below panicle or smooth. Panicle 0.5-2.5-(3) cm, compact, spike-like or racemose, very rarely more open with few, very short branches; rachis and branches stiff, angular, ± densely scabrid, spikelets few on scabrid pedicels. Spikelets 2.5-3.5 mm, 2-3-(4)-flowered, light green tinged purple. Glumes subequal, usually 1.5-2.5 mm, glabrous, with a few prickle-teeth on nerves in upper ½; lower occasionally smaller, 1-1.5 mm, 1-(3)-nerved, narrow-to ovate-elliptic, subobtuse to obtuse, upper 3-nerved, ovate, obtuse. Lemma c. 2-2.5 mm, 5-(7)-nerved, ovate, strongly folded about midnerve, obtuse, sometimes almost hooded, minutely papillose or occasionally minutely scabrid near distinct membranous margin, midnerve scabrid towards tip. Palea 1.5-2.3 mm, keels scabrid on upper ½, interkeel and flanks glabrous. Callus glabrous. Rachilla c. 0.5 mm, glabrous; prolongation usually twice as long. Lodicules 0.4-0.5 mm. Anthers 0.2-0.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.4-0.5 mm; stigma-styles 0.75-1.1 mm. Caryopsis 1-1.3 ×c. 0.5 mm.
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