Perennial, densely tufted. Culms erect, 15–100 cm tall, 2–3-noded, pubescent below panicle. Leaf sheaths densely pubescent or sometimes glabrous; leaf blades filiform, often rolled, 15–30 cm, 1–2 mm wide, densely pubescent on both surfaces, or sometimes scabrid; ligule 0.3–0.5 mm, margin ciliate. Panicle contracted, often dense and spikelike, ovate to oblong in outline, 2–6(–14) cm, rachis, branches, and pedicels all densely pubescent; branches suberect, 0.5–5 cm, lower with 4–7 spikelets. Spikelets 0.7–1.2 cm, golden brown or dark brown, florets 2–4; rachilla hairs 1.5–2 mm; glumes membranous, lower glume 7–9 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 8–11 mm, 3-veined;lemmas firmly papery, lowest 6–8.5 mm, 5–7-veined, scaberulous or puberulous, apex minutely 2-toothed or entire; awn 1–1.5 cm, weakly geniculate, column loosely twisted, terete; palea keels ciliolate. Anthers 3–4.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep.

This is a handsome species with contracted, golden brown panicles.

* Rocky mountain slopes, alpine steppe, among shrubs; 2600–4600 m. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang (Tian Shan), Xizang, Yunnan.