Plants forming hummocks, 0.3–1 m high, to 2 m wide, stoloniferous. Culms 26–70 cm high (based on limited data), strongly branched, smooth or rarely scaberulous between nerves, with many short internodes covered by overlapping leaf sheaths. Leaves: sheaths coriaceous to indurated, glabrous on back, scaberulous between nerves; margins and orifice scabrous or ciliolate; blade erect to spreading, very rigid, folded, 3.5–13 (–19) cm long, 0.8–1.3 mm wide, with a long pungent point; upper surface and pseudopetiole scabrous. Panicles contracted, often partly enclosed by flag leaf, 3–9 (–26) cm long, 1–2 cm wide; branches to 0.5 cm long. Spikelets solitary or paired, elliptic to lanceolate, 11–24 mm long, 3–9 mm wide, closely 6–13-flowered; pedicel 3–15 mm long; rachilla apex rounded. Glumes lanceolate or ovate, ±equal, 8.5–13 (–16) mm long, acuminate or acute or emarginate, muticous, coriaceous, 3–5-nerved, carinate or upper glume rounded on back in lower part, glabrous. Callus minute, blunt, sometimes curved, pubescent or glabrous. Basal lemma elliptic or ovate, 7–11 mm long, minutely 2-lobed, sometimes mucronulate from sinus, coriaceous with scarious margins, carinate or rounded on back in lower part, midnerves merging into thickened keel towards apex, pubescent or silky-hairy in lower half. Palea half to nearly as long as lemma, entire or notched, scarious or coriaceous, pubescent near base; keels thick, smooth, shiny near base. Anthers 2–4 mm long.
Usually coastal, on sand dunes, limestone cliffs, seashores, salineand wet flats, sandhills, rocky hills, brown sandy loam slopes, and skeletal ridgesummits.
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