Perennial, tufted. Culms 30–60 cm tall, 2–3-noded. Basal leaves 1/2–2/3 length of culms; leaf sheaths smooth or margins ciliate, longer than internodes; leaf blades setaceous, up to 35 cm, 0.3–0.5 mm in diam., outer surface scabrid at least in apical part; ligule of basal leaves 0.2–0.5 mm, rounded, ciliate, of culm leaves 1–2 mm. Panicle narrow, 10–20 cm, base enclosed by uppermost leaf sheath. Spikelets yellowish green; glumes subequal, linear-lanceolate, 2–3 cm, apex attenuate into hyaline filament; callus pungent, 1.5–2 mm; lemma 8–10 mm, pubescent, densely in lower part and sparsely in upper part, a ring of short hairs at apex; awn deciduous, 15–20 cm, 2-geniculate, column 2–3 cm to first bend, smooth, glossy, 1–1.5 cm to second bend, bristle 8–15 cm, plumose, hairs 2–3 mm. Fl. and fr. May–Jul. 2n = 44.

Stipa hohenackeriana Trinius & Ruprecht has been reported from Xinjiang. It differs from S. lessingiana by the smooth outer surface of the leaf blades, longer ligules (1.5–5 mm), and scabrid awn column.

Stipa lessingiana is a good forage grass in steppe regions.

Rocky hill slopes, piedmont regions; 800–1300 m. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, S Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan; SW Asia (Caucasus, Iran), E Europe].