a tussock-forming, long-lived grass with very fine and highly inrolled leaves (less than 0.5 mm wide)., the margins of these leaves are very finely toothed, hence the common name 'serrated tussock'., stems and leaves are upright at first (20-70 cm tall), but become drooping or trailing in nature as they age., the seed-head is an open branched panicle (8-25 cm long) with many flower spikelets that are borne singly., these flower spikelets are elongated in shape (4-9 mm long) and topped with an awn (15-35 mm long)., the mature 'seed' has an obscure ring of tiny hairs where the bent and twisted awn attaches to the top of the seed.