Perennial, loosely tufted. Culms erect from ascending base, 25–50 cm tall, 2–3-noded. Leaf sheaths smooth, glabrous; leaf blades narrowly linear, flat, 5–20 cm, 2–4 mm wide, adaxial surface slightly scabrid or sparsely pilose, abaxial surface almost smooth; ligule 1.5–3.5 mm, margin lacerate. Panicle dense, spikelike, narrowly oblong in outline, 5–9 cm, often interrupted, slightly nodding; branches very short, scabrid. Spikelets 0.7–0.9 cm, reddish violet, florets 3–4; rachilla hairs 2–4 mm; glumes unequal, lower glume ca. 5 mm, 1-veined, upper glume ca. 7 mm, 3-veined; lemmas firm with membranous apex, 6–9.5 mm, scaberulous, apex finely 2-toothed; awn 1–1.4 cm, geniculate, column twisted, terete; palea keels ciliolate. Anthers 1–1.6 mm. Fl. Jun–Jul.

* High mountain forests; 3900–4200 m. Sichuan.