Erianthus mollis Grisebach, Nachr. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Georg-Augusts-Univ. 3: 92. 1868; Pollinia mollis (Grisebach) Hackel.

Perennial, loosely tufted, with slender spreading rhizomes. Culms ascending or decumbent, 0.25–0.5 m tall, 1–2 mm in diam., villous below inflorescence, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheaths glabrous with ciliate margin or pilose, bearded at mouth; leaf blades linear, 3–8 × 0.2–0.5 cm, glabrous or hispid with tubercle-based hairs, margins thickened, smooth, apex acuminate; ligule a ciliate rim. Racemes 3–7, digitate, 4–7 cm, hairs silvery white or pinkish; rachis internodes and pedicels 2/3 spikelet length, densely hairy with long silky hairs exceeding and obscuring spikelets. Spikelets 4–5 mm, dark brown, pallid near apex, keels green; callus hairs 1/2 spikelet length; lower glume lanceolate, back flat, densely hairy with silky hairs ca. 1.5 times spikelet length or more, veinless between keels, apex obscurely emarginate or 2-mucronate; upper lemma narrowly oblong, shortly 2-toothed; awn 0.8–1.5 cm, fine, almost straight. Anthers ca. 2 mm.

This is a relatively small, Himalayan species.

Dry grassy mountainsides; ca. 2000 m. Xizang [Bhutan, N India, Nepal].