Perennials. Roots many, fibrous. Rhizomes short. Culms densely tufted, 4-20 cm tall, compressed 3-angled, smooth, base with 1 leaf. Leaf sheath slightly long; leaf blade mostly to only 2.5 cm, ca. 1 mm wide. Involucral bracts 3, leaflike, usually 2 longer than inflorescence and 1 shorter; basalmost bract erect, culmlike, elongated, basally ± broad. Inflorescences capitate, with 1-8 spikelets. Spikelets ovoid-oblong to oblong, 0.5-1.5 cm × 2-5 mm, slightly turgid, 10-32-flowered; rachilla subquadrangular, slightly broad. Glumes dark blood-red on both surfaces but middle yellowish green, adaxially reddish brown striate, densely imbricate, orbicular-ovate, ca. 3 mm, subpapery, veins several, apex obtuse and sometimes with a very short mucro. Stamens 3; anthers linear; connective prominent beyond anthers. Style long; stigmas 2. Nutlet brownish yellow, subglobose, ellipsoid, or obovoid, ca. 2 mm, plano-convex, slightly shiny, reticulately striate. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.
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