Perennial, loosely spreading from extensive, deep, slender rhizomes. Culms erect or ascending, 10–20 cm tall, much branched at ground level, many-noded. Leaf sheaths overlapping over whole culm length, glabrous, bearded at mouth with 2–3 mm hairs; leaf blades linear-lanceolate, stiff, patent, margins involute, 1.5–8 cm, 2–4 mm wide, abaxial surface glabrous or puberulous, adaxial surface glaucous, glabrous, apex pungent. Inflorescence lanceolate-oblong, 3–5 × 0.5–1 cm, base enclosed in inflated uppermost leaf sheaths; spikelets many, closely overlapping; pedicels stout, 1–2 mm, apex slightly oblique. Spikelets 6–8 × ca. 2 mm, yellowish, brown or purplish brown; lower glume absent; upper glume elliptic-oblong, obscurely 7-veined, minutely puberulent along margins and near apex, apex acute or with subapical awn to 1.2 mm; lemma lanceolate, ca. 4 mm, 1-veined; palea absent. Anthers 2–2.5 mm. Caryopsis 1.8–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep. 2n = 40.