Culms 3–130 cm. Leaves: sheaths adaxially red dotted and usually copper colored at mouth, concave at mouth, prolonged 1–4(–6) mm beyond base of blade; ligules 4.1–13.7 mm; foliage leaf blades 10–90 cm × 2.5–5(–6) mm. Inflorescences bisexual or, occasionally, nearly or wholly unisexual, flexuous and interrupted, proximal 0–5 branches (or spikes) often separated, decompound, (2–)3–8 × 1–2 cm; basal branch (when present) with 5–21 spikes (or ca. 40 spikes in very condensed inflorescences); proximal internode 4–12 mm. Pistillate scales straw colored or reddish brown, 2.5–3.4 × 1.5–2.1 mm, as wide as and equaling perigynia. Perigynia spreading, straw colored to light or dark brown, strongly 7–11-veined abaxially, with median lengthwise groove near base, with or without membranous flap toward apex, lance-ovate (body widely ovate to oblate) in outline, plano-to biconvex, 2.4–3 × 1.3–1.8 mm, shiny; beak 1–1.3 mm. Achenes broadly ellipsoid to broadly trullate-ovate or obovate in outline, 1.4–1.6 × 0.7–1.1 mm.
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