Perennial with very short rhizome; stolons wanting. Stems tufted, rigid, triquetrous, smooth, 30-80 cm by 1-2 mm. Leaves herbaceous, flat, gradually acuminate, scabrid in the upper part, (1-)2-4(-7?) mm wide; lower sheaths membranous, pale. Inflorescence simple or subcompound, loose. Involucral bracts 3-7, patent, the lower ones as long as or overtopping the inflorescence. Primary rays 5-10, spreading, very slender, smooth, the longer ones up to 20 cm, often with 1-2 setaceous, patent or reflexed, up to 4 cm long secondary rays. Spikes broadly ovoid, with 10-25 spikelets, 2½-3(-4) cm wide; rachis 1-1½ cm long. Spikelets filiform, subterete, acute, 4-8-flowered, 10-15 by ½ mm, the upper ones erect to spreading, the lower ones at right angles to the rachis to strongly reflexed, falling off as a whole; rachilla slightly flexuous, broadly winged; wings whitish hyaline; internodes c. 2 mm. Glumes remote (the top not reaching the base of the next higher one at the same side of the rachilla), appressed or only the apex somewhat patulous, narrowly oblong, acutish, not keeled, muticous, with green midnerve and rufous sides, 9-11-nerved, 3-3¼ by 1 mm. Stamens 3; anthers small, oblong-linear, c. ½ mm. Stigmas 3. Nut trigonous, oblong-linear, acuminate, apiculate, brown, 2-2¼ by⅓-2/5 mm.
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