Perennial. Culms 1–1.2 m tall, loosely tufted, (3–)6–8-noded. Leaf sheaths pubescent; leaf blades 20–30 cm × 6–8 mm, adaxial surface pubescent, scabrid; ligule 3–4 mm, apex lacerate. Panicle spreading, ca. 30 cm, slightly nodding; branches 2 per node, up to 15 cm. Spikelets ca. 25 × 5–6 mm, florets 5–7(–9); rachilla internodes 3–4 mm, shortly hairy, laterally visible and conspicuously exposed; glumes narrow, margins membranous, lower glume 7–8 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 9–11 mm, 3-veined; lemmas narrow, ca. 12 × ca. 1 mm in side view, 5-veined, intermediate veins inconspicuous, proximally sparsely scabrid, awned from apex; awn 4(–7) mm, slender, straight. Anthers ca. 3 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Aug.

* Picea forest margins, gravel thickets, river banks, meadows; 2300–3800 m. Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang.