Densely tufted, but from an ascending rhizome c. 3 mm. diam., strict, reddish brown, rarely yellow-green. Culms 7–40–(75) cm. × 0.5–1.5 mm. erect, rarely elongating to 120 cm. and becoming prostrate, semiterete, smooth and shining, basal sheaths dark red-purple, almost black. Lvs = or slightly > culms, c. 1–1.5 mm. wide, plano-convex, often semiterete, erect, wiry, linear, gradually narrowed and flattened towards the acute, occ. cirrhose tip, smooth and shining, reddish or green on the back, upper surface matt, pale cream, margins scaberulous towards the base, more strongly serrulate towards the tip, sheath not much broader than lamina and of similar texture, with finely membr margins. Spikes 5–6, silvery, distant, or the upper spikes approximate, sessile or the lowest slightly pedunculate; uppermost 1–(2) spikes male, cylindrical; lower spikes female, 0.5–3 cm. × 3–4 mm., oblong, occ. with a few male fls at the base; bracts subtending lower spikes lf-like, much > infl. Glumes (excluding awn) < or = utricles, ovate, acute, white and membr., with a stronger midrib and long scabrid awn. Utricles 2.5–3 mm. long, slightly > 1mm. wide, plano-convex, elliptic-ovoid, pale cream at the base with dark brown to purple-black splotches above or occ. entirely pale green, faintly nerved, margins scabrid above, abruptly narrowed to a pale slender, recurved, deeply bifid beak, 0.5–1 mm. long, margins ciliate-serrate, orifice scabrid, stipe minute. Stigmas 2. Nut c. 1.5 mm., long, plano-convex to almost biconvex, obovoid, tapering towards the base, brown.
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Strict, red-brown, occasionally yellow-green tufts to ± 50 cm high. Leaves plano-convex, upper surface matt, shining on underside. Female spikes c. 5, distant, ± sessile, to 3 cm × ± 4 mm, silvery. Utricles dark brown above; beak long, scabrid, deeply cleft. Stigmas 2.
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