Tufted perennial; culms 15-30(-40)cm high, erect or ascending, thickened at the base with the fibrous remains of old leaf-sheaths but these not forming a bulbous swelling. Leaf-blades flat, 4-12cm long, 2-5mm wide, abruptly contracted to a hooded tip, scaberulous on the margins; ligule often lacerate, 3-5mm long Panicle ovate to pyramidal, 3-7cm long, compact or ± spreading; branches mostly paired, scaberulous. Spikelets 4-6(-9)-flowered, broadly ovate, 4-7mm long, tinged with purple; glumes unequal, ovate to elliptic, the lower 2.5-4mm long, 1-3-nerved, the upper 3-4.5mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas oblong or narrowly elliptic in side-view, 3.5-5mm long, subacute, ciliate on the keel and marginal nerves, sparsely hairy on the surface between the nerves, usually with a little wool at the base; palea as long as the lemma, the keels ciliate below, scabrid above; anthers 1.5-2.5mm long.

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

Type locality: Europe.

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); on mountains in Europe and the Mediterranean region through the Middle East to Central Asia and India; North America.

Plants of Alpine Meadow-grass with proliferating spikelets are occasionally found. 2700-5500m.