Japan Flora: Glabrous perennial with ascending, branching rhizomes; culms slender, 15-30 cm. long, covered with few, whitish, lustrous sheaths of the old leaves at base; leaf-blades 1-2 mm. wide, less than 10 mm. long, flat or nearly so, the basal blades elongate, to 30 cm. long, involute, lustrous, 1-2 mm. wide; ligules 0.2-0.5 mm. long; sheaths lustrous, often tinged with red-purple; panicles 1.5-3 cm. long, 1-1.5 cm. wide, oblong, with 10-12 spikelets, the branches short, geminate; spikelets 5-6 mm. long, lustrous, yellowish brown, narrowly obovate, with an exserted awn; glumes 3-nerved, papery, smooth, gla­brous, obtuse, as long as or slightly longer than the florets. July-Aug. Alpine regions; Hokkaido, Honshu (centr. distr.). Arctic regions and high m이intains of the N. Hemisphere.

f. monstruosa (Koidz.) Ohwi Viviparous phase. Hokkaido.