Annual, growing apparently gregariously and forming small tufts, excluding the flowering culms 2–3 in. high. Culms erect up to slightly over 6 in. high, very slender, filiform, smooth and glabrous like the whole plant, with rarely more than 2 distinctly elongated internodes, the uppermost by far the longest, the preceding 1–2 in. long, shortly exserted. Basal leaf-sheaths loose, widened downwards, spongy but thin, 1/2– 3/4 in. long, pale lead-coloured, the upper tighter to tight, sulcate-striate with minute truncate shoulders; ligules hyaline, very short, truncate, ciliolate; blades filiform to setiform, folded, with an acute or subacute point, from less than 1–2 in. long, up to over 1/4 lin. wide (when folded), soft, suberect, delicately 7-nerved, papillose above on the nerves. False spikes more or less to long exserted, erect, straight, 3/4–1 1/2 in. by 1/2– 3/4 lin., very slender and somewhat loose, with the racemules 1 1/2–2 lin. long and more or less distinct; axis very slender; pedicels short, smooth, with minute discoid tips. Spikelets oblong to elliptic-oblong in outline, acute to obtuse (when mature), symmetrical, slightly turgid, up to slightly over 1/2 lin. long, olive-green or brownish. Glumes very thin, very finely nerved; lower ovate, subacute, 3-nerved, two-thirds the length of the spikelet; upper corresponding in outline and size to the spikelet, 7-nerved. Lower floret barren; valve similar to the glume and of the same length; valvule ovate-lanceolate, nerveless, 1/8 lin. long or quite rudimentary. Upper floret hermaphrodite, elliptic-oblong, acute, 3/8– 1/2 lin. by 1 1/4 lin., pale, polished.
