A compact tufted perennial grass with narrow green to grey-green leaves. Its clustered heads are borne up on short stems usually only reaching about 40 cm in height. The flowerheads are silvery greenish or purplish in colour and glistening when fresh; the lemmas and glumes have narrow shining margins.  Spike-like panicle with very short branches and flattened spikelets with 2-3(4) florets.  Very variable in size and hairiness and degree of leaf-inrolling, and in colour, shape and denseness of panicle.

The lemmas and glumes have narrow shining margins.  Spike-like panicle with very short branches and flattened spikelets with 2-3(4) florets.  Habitat (calcareous grassland) supports identification

Unless identified by a recognised expert, detailed photos are required of the whole plant, flowerhead and details of spikelet.  

Calcareous grassland.

Flowering Late May to July.

A perennial herb.

Widespread in those areas of Britain where soil conditions are suitable.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland.