Perennial with very short rhizome. Stems tufted, rigid, triquetrous, scabrid at the top, up to 50 cm by 2 mm. Leaves several, linear, canaliculate at the base, otherwise flat, up to twice as long as the stems, gradually attenuate into the long, triquetrous top, scabrous on nerves and margins, with 3 more prominent nerves, 3½-6 mm wide; sheaths purplish brown. Inflorescence subcompound, loose. Involucral bracts 4-6, patent, the longer ones far overtopping the inflorescence, up to 50 cm. Primary rays 5-10, spreading, slender, almost filiform, smooth or scabrid at the top, the longest up to 4 cm; secondary rays very short. Spikelets digitately arranged, 3-10 to-gether or some solitary, stellately spreading, oblong-linear, acute, compressed, 12-20-flowered, greyish brown, 6-10 by c. 2 mm; rachilla straight, hardly winged, persistent; internodes c. ½-⅓ mm. Glumes subcoriaceous, involute and distinctly keeled in the upper part, oblong-ovate, incurved, ⅔ imbricate, obtuse, apiculate, 15-17-nerved, 2⅓-3 mm long; lower 3-4 glumes shorter, empty. Stamens 3; anthers oblong-linear, ¾-1 mm, with short, smooth appendage of the connective. Style ½-1 mm long, ciliate except for the base; stigmas 3, pilose, ½-¾ mm long. Nut trigonous, ellipsoid, acute, with concave brown sides and strongly incrassate greyish angles, about half as long as the glumes, c. 1½ by ¾-4/5 mm.
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