Japan Flora: Rhizomes short; culms somewhat tufted, erect, with 1 or 2 nodes toward base, 20-30 cm. long; leaf-blades glaucous-green, rather flat, 5-10 cm. long, 1.5-2.5 mm. wide, smooth; sheaths longer than die internodes, sometimes tinged reddish purple; ligules truncate, about 0.5 mm long; panicles erect, densely spicate, lanceo- late, 3-7 cm. long, the branches short, scabrous, 3- to 5-nate, widi few spikelets; spikelets short-pedicelled, lustrous, pale or glaucous-green with a purple hue, 3-4 mm. long, 2- or 3-flowered; glumes lanceolate, very acute, 3-nerved, the lower about 2.5 mm., the upper about 3 mm. long; lemmas 2.5-3 mm. long, narrowly ovate, 5-nerved, rather acute, usually bronzed toward the margin, glabrous on the sides, the keel short-pubescent on lower 2/3, the marginal nerves pubescent on lower half, the intermediate nerves not distinct, the web wanting or nearly so; anthers 1.2-1.5 mm. long. June- Aug. Alpine regions.

Honshu (centr. distr.) ; rare. Sakha- lin, n. Korea, and generally in high mountains of the N. Hemisphere.

var. Idtadakensis (Ohwi) Ohwi. Culms 40-70 cm. long; panicles 10-15 cm. long, with elongate branches to 8 cm. long, the verticils widely naked at base; spikelets 5-6 mm. long; glumes acuminate, 4-5 mm. long; lemmas 4—4.5 mm. long, acute to very acute; anthers 1.5-2 mm. long. July-Aug.  Alpine regions; Honshu (Akaishi mountain range) ; rare.