Annual, 4–14 in. high, in small scanty tufts. Culms geniculate at the base, very slender, simple, or branched near the base, 2-noded, glabrous and smooth, usually with a few glands near the panicle, or eglandular; uppermost internode (peduncle) exserted. Leaf-sheaths finally shorter than the internodes, the lower with fine spreading hairs, or glabrous like the upper, smooth, sometimes with a line of glands; ligule a densely ciliate rim; blade linear, narrowed to a hard subacute tip, 1–2 1/2 in. long, about 1/2–1 lin. wide, flat, or rolled when dry, sparsely pilose on the upper surface, or quite glabrous, with minute glands along the margins, or eglandular. Panicle at first contracted, at length loose, ovate, 1/2–3 in. long, up to 1 1/2 in. wide; rhachis filiform, glabrous, with scattered or clustered sessile elliptic or circular glands, or eglandular; branches paired, spreading, bare at the base for up to 1/2 in., trichotomously divided above, glandular like the rhachis, or eglandular, the lower up to 1 1/2 in. long; pedicels 1/4–2 1/2 lin. long. Spikelets 2–2 1/2 lin. long, pallid or slightly tinged with purple. Glumes obliquely lanceolate in profile, acuminate, 1-nerved and with 2 very short lateral nerves, thinly membranous, glabrous, minutely scaberulous on the keel. Valves narrowly oblong in profile, nearly 1 lin. long, obscurely 7–9-nerved, sparingly and shortly pubescent; lobes obscure or not developed; side-bristles very fine, 1/4–1 lin. long, from the base of the awn; awn geniculate below the middle, 2 1/2–3 1/4 lin. long, with the column twisted and 1–1 1/4 lin. long. Valvules narrowly oblong, 3/4–1 lin. long. Anthers elliptic, 1/5– 1/4 lin. long. Grain 3/4 lin. long.
