Stiff, light green tufts, 12-20 cm; basal leaves differing from culm leaves and forming a winter rosette. Leaf-sheath light green to purplish, glabrous but margins ciliate. Ligule 0.2-0.5 mm, ciliate, hairs sparse. Collar hairs long, tubercle-based. Leaf-blade 3-10 cm × 7-13 mm, firm, rather thick, broadly linear to elliptic-oblong, narrowed above, ribs fine, inconspicuous; abaxially smooth, adaxially finely scabrid on ribs; margins thickened, scabrid, ciliate near cordate base, tip acute to acuminate. Culm erect to spreading, nodes appressed-pubescent, internodes glabrous. Panicle 5-8 × 2-4 cm; branches very slender, glabrous; pedicels almost filiform, tipped by solitary spikelets. Spikelets < 2 mm, green to purplish, ovoid, subacute. Glumes very unequal; lower c. 0.5 mm, membranous, glabrous, obtuse, upper = spikelet, 7-nerved, elliptic-ovate, subacute, puberulent. Lower floret Ø: lemma similar to upper glume, 7-nerved; palea 0. Upper floret ☿: lemma 1.6-1.8 mm, elliptic, subacute, glabrous, faintly striolate, white, shining; palea narrower; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm; gynoecium: ovary c. 0.3 mm, stigma-styles c. 1.8 mm, stigmas deep purple; caryopsis not seen.