Perennial. Culms densely tufted, erect, 15–60 cm tall, unbranched. Leaf sheaths usually shorter than internodes, sparsely silky hairy along margins, sheath-collar ciliate, villous at mouth; leaf blades gray-green, involute, 5–20 cm, abaxial surface smooth, adaxial surface densely pilose with short hairs. Panicle narrowly contracted or lax, 4–16 cm; branches 1–7 cm, capillary, paired, appressed to axis or loosely ascending. Spikelets yellowish green to purplish green; glumes subequal with upper slightly longer, lanceolate, scabrid, apiculate, lower glume 10–12 mm, upper glume 12–14 mm; callus obtuse; lemma 8–9 mm, punctately scabrid, also with some long soft hairs; awn with 2–3 mm twisted column, central branch ca. 1.5 cm, laterals ca. 1.2 cm. Anthers 4–4.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

* Grassy places on mountain slopes, river banks; 3100–4100 m. Xizang.