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Herbs, perennial, cespitose or not, rhizomatous or stoloniferous. Culms solitary or not, terete or rounded-trigonous, usually 70+ cm. Leaves cauline; ligules absent; blades flat to involute. Inflorescences terminal or some lateral, corymbose or subcapitate, conspicuously branched; spikelets 100–1000+; involucral bracts 3–4+, spreading, leaflike. Spikelets: scales 5–6, spirally arranged, proximal 1–3 scales empty, distal 3–4 scales each subtending flower. Flowers bisexual or staminate; perianth absent; stamens 2–3; styles linear, 3-fid, base persistent, somewhat thickened. Achenes terete. x = 20.
Herbs, perennial. Rhizomes short, creeping. Culms terete. Leaves cauline; leaf blade V-shaped in cross section, margin scabrous. Involucral bracts leaflike, sheathing. Inflorescence an elongated compound anthela. Spikelets ovoid. Glumes ± spirally arranged, basal 4-6 empty, apical 2 fertile, apicalmost flower bearing a nutlet. Perianth bristles absent. Stamens 2. Stigmas 3; style base not distinct, thickened, persistent. Nutlet ovoid, subterete.
Scales spirally imbricate, deep brown, forming a lanceolate to ovoid spikelet; perianth none; uppermost fl of each spikelet perfect, with 2 stamens, a terete ovary, and 2–3 stigmas; middle fls staminate or abortive; lowest scale of each spikelet empty; achene ovoid, terete, dull, pointed but not tuberculate; infl compound, cymosely branched, bearing spikelets in small terminal capitate clusters. 50+, widespread.
Leafy perennials with habit of Rynchospora, the panicles elongate to diffuse; spikelets terete, with many scales; middle scales frequently subtending staminate flowers, only the uppermost flower fertile; achene terete, spongy, the surface smooth or ridged, not capped by a tubercle; stamens 2 or 3; style 2-to 3-cleft.
