Rhizome short. Culms densely tufted, lateral, 12-25 cm tall, slender, compressed triquetrous, slightly scabrous, with purple-red or dark purple and bladeless sheaths at base. Involucral bracts spathelike, involucral bract sheaths green and slightly purple-red or dark purple, lower involucral bracts with short blade, upper blades setaceous. Spikes 3 or 4, lowermost one remote, borne from base of culm, remaining spikes approximate; terminal spike male, usually taller than adjacent female spike, cylindric, 7-10 mm; lateral spikes female, oblong, 2-3 mm, loosely 10-or more flowered; peduncles slightly stiff, lowermost one rather long, others short, slightly exserted from involucral bract sheath. Female glume pale brown laterally, green at middle, oblong, 2.5-3 mm, 3-veined, membranous, apex rounded or truncate, with awn 0.8-1 mm. Utricles yellowish, slightly longer than glume, elliptic, trigonous, ca. 4 mm, papery, loosely pubescent, 2-veined laterally, base attenuate into a long stipe, apex contracted into a short beak, orifice emarginate. Nutlets yellowish, elliptic, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, base stipitate, apex contracted into a short beak; style base not thickened; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. Jun-Jul.
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