Small, dense perennials, forming tufts 3–9 cm, with strict leaves often overtopping the light green spike-like panicles; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath ± hyaline, light brown, strongly ribbed, finely scabrid especially near margins above. Ligule 0.8–1–(1.6) mm, denticulate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 1.5–4 cm × 0.3–0.6 mm, firm, inrolled, strongly ribbed, minutely, closely scabrid, tip blunt. Culm hidden among leaves, erect, internodes scabrid. Panicle 1–2 cm, contracted, densely oblong; rachis, branches, and pedicels erect and closely short-scabrid. Spikelets 2–3.3 mm. Glumes subequal, lanceolate, pale green, rarely tinged light purple, with antrorse prickle-teeth or minute hairs, but glabrous near base. Lemma 1.3–1.6 mm, glabrous, distinctly 5-nerved, ovate, truncate, minutely denticulate, margins minutely scabrid near apex, usually awnless, but occasionally with delicate awn to 2 mm from upper ⅓ of midnerve. Palea 0.3–0.4 mm, ovate. Lodicules 0.4 mm. Callus glabrous. Anthers (0.4)–0.5–0.7 mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.5 mm.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]