Annual. Stems tufted, 4–10 in. long, setaceous, at the top glabrous. Leaves 1/3– 1/2 the length of the stem, almost capillary; sheaths hairy, and with long white hairs in the throat. Umbel simple, of 5–1 solitary spikelets; bracts setaceous, about as long as the umbel. Spikelets 1/5 by 1/12– 1/10 in., oblong-ellipsoid, rusty-brown, often with a few long white hairs. Glumes boat-shaped, ovate, pubescent; keel yellowish, minutely excurrent. Nut scarcely 1/2 the length of the glume, trigonous, oblong-ellipsoid, pale yellow, obscurely striated lengthwise and horizontally barred, i.e. the outermost cells transversely elliptic-oblong, arranged nearly in vertical series. Style longer than the nut; branches 3, rather short; base persistent on the nut, ovoid, depressed, black-brown.