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Herbs, perennial; rhizomes ± horizontal, to 12 cm × 0.8–1.2 mm. Culms ± terete to roundly trigonous, 3–25(–60) cm × 0.3–2 mm, glabrous. Leaves 1–3, V-shaped, 1–8(–15) cm × 1–2 mm. Inflorescences: spike 1, loosely ovoid, 7–14 × 8–20 mm; rays (0–)1–4, to 2(–3) cm; bracts 2–4, horizontal to ascending at 30(–45)°, V-shaped to flat, 1–8(–18) cm × 0.5–1.5(–2) mm. Spikelets 3–5(–14), oblong to linear-lanceoloid, 8–18 × 2–2.6(–3) mm; floral scales (6–)10–26(–32), laterally clear to light brown, sometimes with purplish margins, medially light brown, 2-keeled, laterally ribless, medially 2–3-ribbed, oblong to ovate, 1.9–2.2(–2.7) × 1.8–2.3 mm, apex obtuse. Flowers: stamens 3; anthers ellipsoid, 0.3–0.6 mm, connective not prolonged; styles 0.6–1 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. Achenes brown, ± stipitate, obovoid to ovoid, 1–1.4 × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.
Tufted annual. Stems to 40 cm high, very slender in small plants but more rigid in larger ones, 3-angled, very leafy at base. Leaves < stems, to 2.5 mm wide, margins smooth except near tip. Involucral bracts 2-3, very widely spreading, unequal, at least the lowest >, to very much > inflorescence. Inflorescence a single head or small umbel with few very short rays. Spikelets in ovoid dark clusters, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 4-8 × 2 mm, much compressed. Glumes not closely imbricate, ± 2 mm long, ovate, obtuse, with broad green keel and dark red-purple patch at tip and purple band inside the green margin. Stamens 3 or 2. Style-branches 2. Nut ± ½ length of glume, orbicular-obovoid, biconvex, black.
