Perennial, densely tufted. Culms 10–15 cm tall, scabrid below inflorescence. Leaf sheaths clustered at plant base; ligule ca. 1.5 mm; leaf blades short, linear, basal blades flat, soft, ca. 5 cm, upper blades conduplicate, ca. 2 cm, 1–1.5 mm wide, adaxial surface and margins scabrid. Panicle very narrow, 3–4 × ca. 0.5 cm; branches 2 per node, ca. 1.5 cm, ascending, smooth, lower part naked, upper part with 1 or 2 spikelets. Spikelets ca. 5 mm, tinged with purple, florets 3–5; lower glume 1.2–1.5 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 2–2.5 mm, 3-veined; lemmas 3–3.5 mm, glabrous, apex acute or mucronate; palea keels smooth; anthers 0.6–0.8 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug.