A rather variable perennial, rarely annual, usually loosely caespitose, often stoloniferous. Culms (15)30-100 cm. tall, erect from a decumbent base, sometimes rooting at the nodes, glabrous and smooth, 2-many-noded. Leaf-sheaths striate, tight at first later becoming loose and often slipping off the culm. Leaf-laminae 2-17 x 0.2-0.7 cm., usually expanded narrowly lanceolate to linear, glabrous, scaberulous, tapering to a fine point. Panicle usually rather contracted, 3-8(11) cm. long, up to 25 cm. wide, lobed, erect; branches verticillate, densely spiculate down to the base. Spikelets falling entire, 1.75 - 2 mm. long, ovate-elliptic to narrowly elliptic in outline, shortly pedicelled to almost sessile. Glumes equal, determining the length of the spikelet, obtusely keeled, elliptic if expanded, acute, dorsally scaberulous, green or occasionally tinged with purple. Lemma 1-1.5 mm. long, awnless, broadly elliptic, finely 5-nerved, with the apex truncate and sometimes minutely toothed. Palea 2-nerved, almost as long as the lemma. Anthers 0.5 — 0.75 mm. long. Caryopsis c. 1 mm. long, pale-brown.
