Compact, leafy tufts, 2–4.5 cm, leaves often reaching to base of panicle. Leaf-sheath wider than leaf-blade, firmly membranous, light brownish grey, rounded, ribs few, inconspicuous. Ligule (1.5)–2–3.5 mm, tapered to acute tip. Leaf-blade 5.5–17 × 0.3–0.5 mm, involute, smooth; margins finely scabrid, tip subobtuse. Culm 1.2–2.5–(4) cm, branched at base, often almost completely hidden among leaves, internodes glabrous. Panicle (5)–8.5–18 mm, ± compact; branches few, sparsely, minutely scabrid. Spikelets 2.2–3 mm, greenish, shining. Glumes ± equal and equalling spikelets, keels sparsely scabrid above, tip subacute to acute to almost mucronate; lower 1-nerved, narrow-lanceolate, upper 3-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate. Lemma 1.5–2.2 mm, faintly 5-nerved, oblong, 4–5-toothed with short terminal mucro, 0.3–0.5 mm, in notch. Palea ≤ lemma, apex deeply bifid, keels finely scabrid. Callus hairs c. 0.2 mm. Rachilla hairs c. 0.2 mm, fine, or 0. Anthers (0.3)–0.5–0.6 mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.4 mm. Cleistogamus.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]