Aira indica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 63 ["spicata"], errata [1231, "indicum"]. 1753; Panicum angustum Trinius; Saccio-lepis angusta (Trinius) Stapf; S. spicata Honda ex Masamune, nom. illeg. superfl.

Annual. Culms slender, weakly ascending from a branching, decumbent base, 20–100 cm tall. Leaf sheaths slightly keeled; leaf blades linear, flat to loosely involute, 5–20 × 0.2–0.5 cm, apex acute; ligule 0.2–0.5 mm. Panicle spikelike, 11–16 × 0.3–0.5 cm, axis glabrous. Spikelets green or purplish green, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 2–2.8 mm, glabrous or papillose-hispid, obtuse; glumes ovate, herbaceous with broad hyaline margins and apex, lower glume 1/3–1/2 spikelet length, 3–7-veined; upper glume 7–11-veined; lower lemma as long as upper glume; palea small and hyaline; upper lemma yellowish, narrowly ovate, 1/2 spikelet length. Fl. and fr. Jul–Nov. 2n = 18.

The name Aira indica was originally given as "Aira spicata," but this was corrected by Linnaeus in the errata on the final page [1231] of Species Plantarum.

The combination "Sacciolepis indica var. angusta (Trinius) Keng" (Fl. Ill. Pl. Prim. Sin. Gram. 662. 1959) was not validly published because a full and direct reference to the basionym was not provided.

Moist places, valleys, streams. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, India, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia, Pacific Islands].