The surface tier has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 0 through 2. The upper 4 to 10 inches of the surface tier is sand or coarse sand in some pedons. The subsurface tier has hue of 5YR through 2.5Y, value of 2 through 4, and chroma of 0 through 4. It is mottled in some pedons. Chroma or value or both may change from 0.5 to 2 units upon rubbing.
Broken faces become darker upon brief exposure to air.
The subsurface tier is dominated by sapric material with a rubbed fiber content of less than 16 percent of the organic volume. It has granular, subangular blocky or platy structure, or it is massive. It is very friable or friable. Unrubbed organic material resembles herbaceous and woody plant tissue. The bottom tier has colors similar to the subsurface tier.