Delicate annual. Culms solitary or tufted, capillary, erect or geniculate at base, 6–20 cm tall, branched. Leaf sheaths smooth, loose, shorter than internodes; leaf blades narrow, involute, 2.5–10 cm, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface hairy, smooth; ligule ca. 0.2 mm. Panicle oblong to ovate in outline, loose, open, 5–10 cm; branches capillary, ascending, inserted 2–3 together along main axis. Spikelets green or purple; glumes unequal, 1-veined, scabrid on vein, apex acuminate-mucronate, lower glume lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm, upper glume narrowly lanceolate-oblong, 2.8–3.5 mm; callus small, broadly obtuse; lemma 1.7–2 mm, upper part scabrid; awn arising directly from lemma apex, stiffly spreading, central branch 5–8 mm, laterals about half as long. Anthers 0.5–0.6 mm. Fl. and fr. summer and autumn.

This is much the smallest species in China, easily recognized by its delicate habit and very small, often purplish spikelets. It is one of the most widespread species in the genus.

Hill slopes, dry grasslands; 200–800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangsu, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Indonesia (Celebes), Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, N Australia].