Loosely tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial; culms 5-50 cm high, erect or ascending. Leaf-blades up to 17 cm long and 8 mm wide, the upper shorter than the lower, glabrous; upper sheaths slightly inflated; ligule up to 2 mm long, obtuse. Panicle 1-5(-6) cm long, 7-15 mm wide, broadly cylindrical to ovoid, usually purplish. Spikelets 3-55(-8.5) mm long (including awns); glumes truncate, stiffly ciliate on the keel, scabrid on the sides, the lower softly hairy on the margins; awn 1-3(-4) mm long, glabrous or ciliate; lemma two-thirds the length of the glumes, 3-5-nerved, minutely hairy on the nerves; anthers 1-1.5 mm long.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-September.

Type locality: Europe.

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P. & Kashmir); throughout the Arctic regions and on mountains in the northern hemisphere, penetrating southwards to southern Chile along mountains in the New World.

2000-4300 m.