Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 60-100 cm tall, triquetrous, scabrous on upper part of angles. Leaves basal, longer than culm, blades 3-5 mm wide, conduplicate proximally and distally gradually flattened, sheathed at base; sheaths dark brown, usually split. Involucral bracts sheathing, blades of lowest involucral bract leaflike, surpassing its subtending spike, upper blades setaceous, uppermost involucral bract sheathlike and shorter than spike. Spikes more than 10, 1-3 in an involucral bract sheath, sometimes branched on lower spikes, remote and upward rather congregate, androgynous, male part longer than female part, narrowly lanceolate, 1.5-3 cm, rather densely with female flowers; lower spikes with slender peduncles, upper spikes with rather short peduncles. Female glumes ferruginous-brown, oblong-ovate, ca. 4 mm, membranous, thinly several veined, apex acuminate. Utricles reddish brown, suberect, equaling or slightly longer than glume, elliptic, compressed trigonous, 4-4.5 mm, membranous, thinly several veined abaxially, base abruptly contracted into a short stipe, apex gradually narrowed to a slightly long beak, orifice 2-toothed. Nutlets tightly enveloped, elliptic, lenticular; style base slightly thickened; stigmas 2, ± long.
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