Perennial, tufted, shortly rhizomatous. Culms erect, 15–30 cm tall, ca. 1.5 mm in diam., 2-noded. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades usually involute, stiff, 4–10 cm, 1–3 mm wide, both surfaces scabrid; ligule 5–7 mm, lanceolate, acute or lacerate. Panicle dense, spikelike, 5–8 × ca. 1 cm; branches fascicled, short, scabrid. Spikelets 6–7 mm, purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate, lower glume 6–7 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 5–6 mm, 3-veined, keel scabrid, apex acuminate; callus hairs equal to or slightly shorter than lemma; lemma 4–5 mm, awned, apex shortly toothed; awn arising from lower 1/3 of lemma back, 5–6 mm, slender, straight or slightly curved; palea 3/4 as long as lemma; rachilla ca. 0.5 mm, loosely penicillate, up to 4 mm including hairs. Anthers ca. 2 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug.

* Alpine meadows, especially along river banks; 3200–4600 m. Gansu, W Xizang.