Shortly rhizomatous; tufts small, broad, dull red or glaucous. Culms (1.5)–2–3 cm. long, glab., terete, ± flattened above, almost completely enclosed by light brown lf-sheaths. Lvs 3–6 cm. × 1–2.5 mm., linear, concavo-convex, almost flat, nerves very distinct, margins not us. scabrid except towards the strikingly obtuse tip. Spikes 3–(4); terminal spike male, noticeably pedunculate; remaining spikes female, 5–8 mm. long, ovate, sessile or shortly pedunculate, crowded at same level round base of male spike; bracts subtending spikes lf-like, > infl. Glumes rather < utricles, ovate, cuspidate, or entire and obtuse, membr., red-brown, with a paler brown midrib. Utricles 2–3 × c. 1.5 mm., biconvex to occ. subtrigonous, elliptic-oblong, turgid, red-brown to dark red-purple above, yellow below, distinctly nerved at first, smooth at maturity, margins glab.; beak minute, the scabrid orifice very shortly bifid, almost truncate; stipe c. 0.2 mm. long, stout. Stigmas 2 or 3. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, trigonous.
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Short, broad, dull red or blue-green tufts to 6 cm high; rhizome short. Leaves concavo-convex, almost flat, hardly narrowed to strikingly obtuse tip. Female spikes 2, crowded round male, < 1 cm long, red-brown. Stigmas 2 or 3.
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