Rhizomes short, covered with the persistent bases of the foliage leaves. Culms to 2 m. Sheaths to 30 cm; ligules to 0.5 mm; blades to 50 cm long, 2-5 mm wide. Panicles to 50 cm long, about 3.5 cm wide, contracted; branches to 20 cm, erect. Spikelets 3.5-5.4 mm. Glumesstraight; lower glumes 2-4.7 mm; upper glumes 3.5-5.4 mm; callus hairs 1/4-1/2 as long as the lemmas; lemmas 3.5-5.2 mm, straight, lightly to markedly pubescent; paleas 3.5-5 mm, slightly to markedly pubescent; anthers 2.5-3.1 mm. 2n = unknown.

Calamovilfa curtissii is a rare species, although sometimes locally common. It is restricted to two disjunct regions in Florida. Most Gulf coast populations grow in moist flatwoods or adjacent to wet cypress depressions; Atlantic coast populations occur in interdune swales.