Herbs, perennial, single-stemmed to loosely cespitose. Culms basally cormlike, trigonous, (15–)30–100 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm, glabrous. Leaves flat to V-shaped, 10–65 cm × 3–9 mm, adaxial surface, margins minutely scabridulous. Inflorescences: spikes densely globose to globose-ovoid, 8–17 mm wide; rays 3–12, 2–12 cm, scaberous adaxially especially distally; rachis 4–8 mm; bracts (3–)4–7, ascending at 30(–45)°, flat, 5–35 cm × 2–9 mm; rachilla persistent, wings 0.5–0.7 mm wide. Spikelets 50–100, oblong-lanceoloid, ± terete-quadrangular, (3.5–)4–7 × 1–1.4 mm; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales persistent, 3–5, appressed, stramineous to brownish, 4-ribbed laterally, oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4.5 × 1–1.8 mm, membranous, apex entire or emarginate with mucro to 0.3 mm. Flowers: anthers 0.4–0.8 mm; styles 0.5–0.6 mm; stigmas 1 mm. Achenes brown, ± stipitate, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.3 × 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm (1/2 length of floral scales), apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.
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Perennial; stems 3–10 dm, smooth; lvs flat, 3–8 mm wide; bracts 4–7, the lowest much elongate and surpassing the infl; infl with 1 or 2 sessile terminal spikes and usually 2–10 ascending rays to 10 cm; spikes globose, 8–15 mm thick; spikelets very numerous, closely packed and radiating in all directions, 3–7.5 mm, 1–3-fld; scales oblong-elliptic, obtuse, multinerved, the lower 3.5–4.2 × 1.5–2 mm; achenes trigonous, 1.8–2.2 mm, a third as thick. Dry woods and fields; sc. Conn. and s. N.Y. to s. O., Ill., and e. Kan., s. to n. Fla. and ne. Mex. (C. ovularis)
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