Perennial, densely tufted. Culms 20–50 cm tall. Basal leaves 1/3–1/2 length of culms; leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades setaceous, convolute, outer surface smooth or slightly scaberulous, apex often with a tuft of ca. 0.2 mm spinules; ligule lanceolate, 4–6 mm, puberulent. Panicle narrow, 3–10 cm, exserted from uppermost leaf sheath; branches suberect, spikelets few. Spikelets purple with pale tips; glumes subequal or lower glume slightly longer, narrowly oblong, 1.1–1.4 cm, membranous, apex acute to finely acuminate; callus pungent, 1–1.5 mm; lemma 7–8 mm, pubescent, hairs slightly longer below awn; awn stout, stiff, 1.5–2 cm, 1–2-geniculate, column weakly twisted, shortly plumose, 0.3–0.5 cm to first bend, ca. 0.5 cm to second bend, this sometimes obscure, hairs 0.7–1 mm decreasing toward bristle, bristle ca. 1 cm, setulose, hairs appressed, 0.1–0.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.
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