Variable in size and habit, from low-growing tussocks to moderately tall tufts, rather dull green, ± shortly rhizomatous; leaves semi-pungent, usually much < culms; new shoots intravaginal, crowded, ± swollen at base. Sheaths pale to greyish, glabrous, sometimes with scattered long hairs; collar hairs 1- 3 mm long; ligule c. 0.3 mm long; lamina to 15—(22) cm long, stiff, inrolled with scabrous margins, glabrous, or with scattered long hairs. Culms up to 45 cm long, glabrous, minutely scabrous below inflorescence. Panicle strict, up to 6.5 cm long, shortly branched below, with few to many spikelets on short pedicels; rhachis and pedicels closely short-scabrous, with numerous minute hairs interspersed, longer hairs below spikelets and at branch axils. Spikelets 5-8-flowered, sometimes upper florets exceed glumes. Glumes purpled centrally, ovate-lanceolate, subacute, (3.5)-5-7-(9) mm long, ± equal, lower 5- (7)-nerved, upper 3-(5)-nerved. Lemma 2.5-3.5- (4) mm long, finely 7-(9)-nerved, both rows of hairs reduced to short dense marginal tufts, elsewhere glabrous, upper hairs < lemma lobes; lemma lobes reduced to minute bristles, rarely almost wanting, 0.1-0.4-(0.6) mm long. Central awn (0.2)-0.5-1- (2.5) mm long, straight, erect, fine, or reduced to a mucro from a bifid lemma-tip; column not developed. Palea 2.3-3 mm long, < or reaching almost to base of sinus, much > upper lemma hairs, glabrous between keels and on margins. Callus 0.2- 0.3 mm long with thick marginal hair tufts reaching base of lower marginal lemma tufts. Rhachilla c. 0.5 mm long. Anthers 0.4-0.7 mm long, Caryopsis 1-1.3 × 0.4-0.7 mm; embryo to 0.5 mm long; hilum c. 0.2 mm long. Endemic.

2n = 24, 48

2n = 24

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