Culms densely tufted, central, erect or ascending, 28–44 cm × 1.4–1.8 mm. Leaves: basal sheaths purple or slightly purple; sheaths 2–24 mm; blades erect or ascending, green or yellow-green, midrib developed adaxially, 2 lateral veins developed abaxially, flat, 12–28 cm × 3.5–12 mm, overwintering dead leaves lateral to new clumps, smooth adaxially. Inflorescences: peduncles of lateral spikes 0–6.4 cm; of terminal spike 0.2–2.6 cm. Bracts 1.4–12.4 cm × 1–6 mm, angles of bract sheath smooth or minutely papillose, bract blade of distal lateral spikes linear. Spikes 4(–5) per culm; lateral spikes (15–)19–33 × 3.4–4 mm; internodes in proximalmost spikes 3.3–14 mm; terminal spike linear, 6–25 × 2–3 mm. Pistillate scales 2.8–3 × 2–2.4 mm, apex apiculate or aristate. Staminate scales oblong ovate, 3.5–4.5 × 0.8–1.2 mm, margins hyaline or brownish, apex obtuse or acute. Anthers 2.4–2.8 mm. Perigynia 6–18 per spike, separate or loosely overlapping, finely, conspicuously (22–)25–32-veined, broadly obovate, 2.2–3.3 × 1.2–1.6 mm; beak curved, 0.1–0.3 mm. Achenes ovoid, 2–2.8 × 1–1.4 mm.
Home