Culms rigid, erect or spreading, to 30 cm long. Leaves glabrous; blade 1–10 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, pointed at apex, scabrous on lower surface toward the apex and along margins, scabrous along nerves of upper surface; ligule blunt, 0.5–3 mm long. Inflorescence a linear to narrowly ovate, one-sided panicle, 1–8 cm long. Spikelets oblong or narrowly ovate 4–7 mm long, 4–10-flowered; lower glume 1.3–2 mm long, upper glume 1.5–2.3 mm long; lemma 2–2.6 mm long, dorsally rounded for the entire length or slightly keeled toward the apex, not incurved, more or less oblong in side-view, barely 1 mm broad when flattened out. Flowers Oct.–Jan.