Perennial, loosely or densely tufted; intravaginal and extravaginal shoots present. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 15–30 cm tall. Leaf blades flat or ± inrolled, 2–5 cm, ca. 2 mm wide, grayish green, adaxial surface scabrid along veins. Panicle contracted, later spreading, 7–8 × ca. 5 cm; branches paired at lower nodes, 2–3 cm, slender, scabrid, reflexed after anthesis. Spikelets 4.5–5 mm, often tinged with purple, florets 4–7; glumes broadly lanceolate or ovate, lower glume ca. 1 mm, 1-veined, upper glume ca. 1.5 mm, 1–3-veined, apex acute or subobtuse; lemmas 1.5–2 mm, purple, glabrous or base minutely hairy, apex obtuse, mucronate; anthers 1–1.2 mm. Fl. May–Jul.