Fimbristylis miliacea is an annual sedge which grows in clumps of erect stems up to about half a meter in height surrounded by fans of narrow flat leaves.

The spikelets flower and then develop tiny fruits, which are brown achenes about a millimeter long.

[3] The name Fimbristylis miliacea is a combination made by Martin Vahl based on the name Scirpus miliaceus published by Carl Linnaeus in his 1759 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

[4] Because of confusion surrounding this name, and following a failed attempt to conserve the name with a particular sense (nomen conservandum), a successful proposal was made in 2004 to have "Scirpus miliaceus" rejected (nomen rejiciendum) under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.

[4] The species is found throughout many countries with a tropical or sub-tropical climate in southern and south-east Asia including: Australia,[5] Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.