Culms 5–35 cm tall. Basal leaf sheaths finally splitting into dense clumps of fibers; leaf blades 1–10 × 0.1–0.3 cm, adaxial surface densely scabrid-hispidulous, loosely pilose with long scattered hairs, abaxial surface glabrous. Racemes 2–10 (–17) cm, stiff, straight or slightly curved, spikelets tightly appressed to concavities in rachis, imbricate by 1/4–1/3 their length. Spikelets 4–7 mm, usually purplish; florets 2–4(–6), imbricate, rachilla mostly hidden; lower glume narrowly triangular, symmetrical, 1.5–2.5 mm, acuminate; upper glume narrowly oblong, 2.5–4.5 mm, thickened along midvein, margins broad, scarious, apex scabrid-apiculate; lemmas oblong-lanceolate, 2–3.4 mm to sinus, 2-dentate, midvein produced into a 0.2–0.5 mm mucro, teeth rounded, lateral veins not extended; palea keels wingless, scabrid. Anthers 3, 1.2–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.
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