Rhizome elongate, woody, covered with dark brown fibrous remains of old scales and leaf sheaths. Culms 10-25 cm tall, erect or slightly curved, slightly rough, with pale to dark brown fibrous remains of leaf sheaths at base. Leaves nearly equaling culm, blades 2-3 mm wide, flat, slightly rough. Inflorescence 1-spiked, terminal, androgynous, pale brown, 1.5-2 cm; male part clavate, ca. 4 mm wide, densely flowered; female part densely 6-15-flowered. Female glumes pale brown on margins, white membranous at middle, elliptic-orbicular, ca. 3 mm, with slightly distinct midvein, apex obtusely rounded. Utricles ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm, submembranous, faintly veined, base shortly stipitate, apex subrounded, shortly beaked, orifice slightly emarginate. Nutlet tightly enveloped, elliptic, trigonous, crowned with short, cylindric, persistent style base; rachilla slender, not 1/2 as long as nutlet; stigmas 3. Fr. Jun.