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S tiff perennial 10-50 cm high, with fleshy rhizomes, forming dense clumps or meadows. Culms slender, diameter less than 5 mm, closely sheathed; ligule a row of hairs 1-2 mm long; leaf blades 5-35 cm × 4-10 mm, flat or inrolled, ribbed above, persistent or falling. Panicles usually numerous, erect and contracted, 8-25 cm long, of 2-5 spikes 4-10 cm long. Spikelets closely overlapping, narrowly oblong, 10-15 mm × ± 2 mm, 1-flowered, minutely hairy, falling or persistent. Glumes very unequal with the lower up to two-thirds the length of the upper and much narrower; lower glume 1-nerved, + 7 mm × 1 mm, keeled, oblong; upper glume 1-3- nerved,± 13 mm × 3 mm, keeled, oblong-lanceolate, with membranous margins. Lemma slightly shorter than upper glume, minutely hairy, 1-3-nerved with membranous margins. Palea slightly longer than lemma, glabrous. Anthers 5-8 mm, very narrow, indehiscent, brown. Pollen sterile. Seed fails to develop.