Rhizome short, with slender stolons. Culms densely tufted, 15-30 cm tall, slightly slender, triquetrous, scabrous on upper angles, clothed with few brownish and bladeless sheaths at base. Leaves usually shorter than culm, blades 2-4 mm wide, flat, slightly stiff, distinctly 2-veined laterally, rather long sheathed. Lower involucral bracts leaflike, longer than subtending spike, upper involucral bracts linear, rather short, usually not sheathing. Spikes 3-5, lower 1 or 2 rather remote, upper 2 or 3 rather congregate; terminal spike male, linear, 1-5 cm, shortly pedunculate; lateral spikes female, shortly cylindric or suboblong, 1-3 cm, densely many flowered, sometimes with few male flowers, lower ones shortly pedunculate, upper ones nearly sessile. Male glumes brownish, lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm, thickly papery, 1-veined, apex acute, mucronate; female glumes brownish, oblong-ovate, 2-2.5 mm, papery, 1-veined, apex acute, mucronate. Utricles green or yellowish green, suberect, elliptic, trigonous, 3-3.5 mm, membranous, glabrous, many veined, base broadly cuneate or subrounded, apex abruptly attenuate into a slightly long beak, orifice shortly 2-toothed. Nutlets loosely enclosed, broadly ovate, trigonous, 1-1.5 mm; style base not thickened; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. Jun-Oct.
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