Perennial, loosely tufted. Culms geniculate at base, 30–50 cm tall, soft. Terminal sheath enclosing lower part of inflorescence; ligule 1–2.5 mm; leaf blade soft, 5–10 × 0.2–0.3 cm, margins and adaxial surface scabrid. Panicle spreading, ca. 15 × 4 cm; branches 2 or 3 per node, basal primary branch 5–8 cm, scabrid, lower 1/2 naked, upper 1/2 with 2–4 spikelets. Spikelets 8–11 mm, tinged purplish brown, florets 6–9; glumes obtuse; lower glume ca. 1.5 mm, upper glume 2–2.5 mm; lemmas 2.8–3.5 mm; palea scabrid on upper part of keels; anthers 1.2–1.5 mm. Fl. Jun–Jul.