Perennial, tufted, rhizome absent. Culms wiry, 30–50 cm tall, 1–1.5 mm in diam., often branched below, 4–7-noded, internodes and nodes glabrous. Leaf sheaths mostly shorter than internodes, glabrous; leaf blades firm, often involute, 3–10 cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous except adaxial surface at base; ligule almost absent. Panicle narrow, 8–19 cm; central axis and branches glabrous, smooth or slightly scabrid; branches spaced in lower part, 4–7.5 cm, erect, loosely spiculate; pedicels slightly scabrid. Spikelets 4.5–5.2 mm, glaucous or flushed purplish; glumes glabrous, smooth or scabrid on upper part of midvein; lower glume 2.5–3.5 mm, 3–5-veined; upper glume as long as spikelet, 5-veined; lower floret staminate, slightly longer than lower glume; upper floret 2.6–3 mm, lemma slightly scabrid on back, apex awned; awn geniculate with brown twisted column, 2–4 mm; callus hairs 1/2 length of lemma. Fl. and fr. Aug–Sep.

* Mountain meadows; ca. 3000 m. SE Xizang, NW Yunnan.