Perennial, rhizomatous; rhizomes scaly, short. Culms tufted, geniculate or decumbent and rooting at base, 20–70 cm tall. Leaf sheaths smooth; leaf blades linear, flat or inrolled, 2–15 cm × 1–4 mm, scabrous or nearly smooth, apex acuminate; ligule on non-flowering shoots 1–2 mm, shorter than wide, truncate. Panicle elliptic in outline, up to 20 cm, open, very lax; branches 2–5 per node, spreading, capillary, 1.5–3.5 cm, slightly flexuous, smooth or almost so, bare in lower half, spikelets well spaced. Spikelets 1.5–2.5 mm, purplish brown; glumes elliptic-lanceolate, subequal or lower glume slightly longer, lower glume scabrid along keel distally, upper glume often smooth, apex acute; callus minutely hairy; lemma 2/3–3/4 spikelet length, glabrous, midrib slightly prominent, usually awnless, apex truncate; palea 1/2–3/4 length of lemma. Anthers 0.8–1.5 mm. Fl. Aug.