Perennial or rarely an annual grass, 0.2-1 m high; culms (stem) glabrous (hairless). An annual form occurs in Namibia that is less than 0.3 m high, has a softer appearance than the hardy, wiry, drought-resistant, perennial form. The leaf blade is 30-70 x 2.0-3.5 mm, sometimes hairy.

Infloresecence (Gibbs Russell et al. 1990): the spikelet is 2-3 x 1 mm, laterally compressed, usually glabrous, very rarely hairy, green, often flushed to almost entirely purple, awnless; glumes ( the bracts at the base of the spikelet) are unequal as the lower glume is always reduced to a minute scale, up to 0.1 mm long and the upper glume is as long as spikelet; upper lemma (encloses grass flower) smooth; anther 1.5-2.0 mm long. Flowering time: November to March.