Calamagrostis nivicola (J. D. Hooker) Handel-Mazzetti; Deyeuxia levipes Keng.

Perennial, tufted, rhizomatous; rhizomes slender, spreading. Culms erect or ascending, very slender, up to 20 cm tall, 0.5–1 mm in diam., smooth, 1–2-noded. Leaf sheaths tight, smooth; leaf blades flat or involute, 1–10 cm, 1–3 mm wide, adaxial surface scabrid, apex acute; ligule 1–3 mm, entire or irregularly denticulate. Panicle contracted, spikelike, linear to narrowly oblong in outline, 1.5–8 × 0.3–1 cm; branches 1–2 cm, erect, smooth. Spikelets 4–7 mm, purple or green tinged purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate, lower glume slightly longer than upper, both 1-veined, smooth or slightly scabrid along vein, apex acuminate; callus hairs 1/5–1/4 length of lemma; lemma 3–4.5 mm, herbaceous, scabrid above middle, apex distinctly 4-toothed, lateral veins shortly excurrent; awn sub-basal, 5–7 mm, geniculate; palea 2/3–3/4 as long as lemma; rachilla 2–3.5 mm, including hairs 3–4 mm. Anthers 0.5–1.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 28*.

See the comment on dimorphic anthers under Deyeuxia flavens (species no. 13).

Grassy and stony mountain slopes; 3000–5000 m. Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Nepal].