Annual, much branched at base, 2-8 cm tall; culms erect, with 1 node, papillose-pilose, mostly obscured by the leaves; leaves with prominently veined, papillose-pilose sheaths; ligules 0.2 mm long, membranous and with short hairs; blades 1-4 cm long, 1-3 mm wide, glabrous on both surfaces or sometimes papillose-pilose on lower surface; inflorescences short congested panicles that are overtopped by the leaves; spikelets about 2 mm long; lower glume one-nerved, about 0.6-0.7 mm long; upper glume and sterile lemma equal and scarcely covering the upper floret; palea absent; upper floret about 1.5 mm long; stigmas and anthers purple, anthers about 1 mm long. Flowers August and September.