Plants densely or loosely cespitose; rhizomes slender, short. Culms to 80 cm. Leaves: blades 1.5–3(–4) mm wide. Inflorescences usually less than 15 cm, proximal internodes usually less than 100 mm; peduncles of lateral spikes usually included or exserted less than 1 cm; proximal bracts with blade 8–75 mm, sheath cylindric, 6–25 mm, mouth not purple-banded, U-shaped, 0.7–1.3(–1.5) mm wide. Spikes 4–6; lateral spikes pistillate androgynous, erect or, sometimes, proximal spikes pendent on long-exserted peduncles, 10–15(–20) × (3–)4.5–7(–8) mm; terminal spike usually staminate, ± erect, 10–16 × (2.5–)3–5 mm. Pistillate scales usually at least partly gold or red-brown with broad scarious margins and tip, sometimes all white, obovate to ovate, 1.8–3 × 1.1–1.8 mm, apex usually obtuse, sometimes short-awned. Staminate scales gold or reddish brown with pale midvein and scarious margins, sometimes all white, obovate to elliptic, rarely ovate, (2.6–)3–3.7(–4.0) × 0.9–2 mm, apex obtuse. Anthers 1.4–2.5(–2.7) mm. Perigynia spreading, usually green or with a few purple blotches, occasionally all purple, 10–16-veined, obovate to ovate, 2.7–3.5(–4) × 1–1.7 mm, margins usually ciliate distally, glabrous; beak distinct, 0.7–1.2 mm, tip usually brown or purple, usually ciliate, distance from beak tip to achene apex less than 1.4 mm.
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