Densely tussocky annual with many crowded stems; stems 5–20 cm long and 0.3–0.6 mm thick, angular and densely pubescent with 0.3–0.7 mm long hairs. Leaves often 3–4 per stem with new leafy shoots produced intravaginally; sheath pale to light reddish brown, pubescent with long flexuose hairs at their orifices; blades 3–10 cm long and 0.2–0.4 mm wide, flat, pubescent. Inflorescence a simple anthela of 1 sessile spikelet subtended by 1–3 stalked spikelets on up to 2 cm long peduncles, rarely reduced to a solitary spikelet; involucral bracts erect or spreading, leaf-like and to 2 cm long. Spikelets 5–9 x 3–4 mm, ovate. Glumes 4–5 mm long, medium to dark reddish brown, but with a wide pale margin, minutely pubescent and with a slightly scabrid raised pale midrib ending in or slightly below the apex, but the 2–3 lowermost scales with the midrib excurrent into a prominent up to 2 mm long awn. Nutlet 1–1.2 x c. 1 mm, grey to reddish brown, obtriangular in outline, triangular in section; surface with 6–10 prominent transverse undulations; swollen triangular style-base not persistent on the mature nutlet.