Rhizome short, ligneous. Culms densely tufted, 15-25 cm tall, slightly compressed triquetrous, smooth on lower part, slightly scabrous on upper part, red-brown and bladeless sheathed at base, sheaths eventually disintegrating into fibers. Leaves equaling or shorter than culm, blades 1-2.5 mm wide, ± stiff, flat, loosely pubescent on adaxial surface, scabrous on margins, long and red-brown sheathed; sheaths usually split at membranous side, eventually blade at base usually volute. Involucral bracts scalelike, ovate, hyaline on margins, basal part closing around stem, aristate at base. Spikes 2 or 3, rather congregate at top of culm; terminal spike male, lanceolate or clavate, 0.8-1.5 cm, subsessile; lateral spikes female, ovate, 0.8-1.2 cm, densely 10-or more flowered, sessile. Female glumes ferruginous, oblong, ca. 4 mm, membranous, 1-veined, costa pale brown, apex emarginate, mucronate or shortly awned. Utricles yellowish green, ferruginous on upper part and beak, obliquely patent, equaling or slightly shorter than glume, oblong-obovate, compressed trigonous, 4-4.5 mm, loosely white villous, distinctly many veined, base gradually narrowed to a short stipe, apex gradually narrowed to a short beak, orifice obliquely truncate or emarginate. Nutlets brown, rather tightly enveloped, ovate or oblong-ovate, trigonous, ca. 2.5 mm, base shortly stipitate; style base not thickened; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. May-Jul.
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