Plants caespitose or cushion-forming (sometimes with straggly growth); innovation buds intravaginal. Culms 6–14 cm high. Leaves glabrous; blade persistent on sheath or abscising, with margins incurved. Inflorescences ovate, 2–7 cm long; branches villous. Spikelets 5–6.5 mm long, with 3–4 florets. Glumes exceeding florets; lower glume 5–6.5 mm long. Lemma: body 1–1.3 mm long, with villous tufts; lobes as long as or longer than body, but not twice as long, with setae 0–0.5 mm long; awn 2.7–3.2 mm long; awn column with 1 or 2 twists; indumentum in upper row complete; indumentum in lower row complete or with reduced numbers of tufts (with marginal and some dorsal tufts or with only marginal tufts) or absent, not reaching upper row. Palea 1.8–2.6 mm long, narrow, 3–5 times as long as wide. Caryopsis 1 mm long.
Grows up through cushion plants, in moors, alpine bogs, and generally inwet sites.
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