Perennial, erect, 40-99 cm high in large clumps: rhizome horizontal, frequently vertical, ligneous; internodes 0.9-2.6 x 0.3-0.6 cm, clothed by many-nerved, grey-brown, persistent sheaths: leaves limited to sheaths; sheaths 7.4-8.5 x 0.3-2.5 cm, glabrous, many-nerved, nerves converging at apex, margin of mouth scarious; blades generally absent: culms terete, glabrous: inflorescence-bud, narrowly ovoid, up to 1.6 cm long: involucral bracts generally 3, 1-2 barren, not exceeding inflorescence: inflorescence 3.8-8.2 x 2.8-7.4 cm; rays 25-57, racemose, up to 5.6 cm long, forming acute angle with culm apex, sheathed at base by tubular prophylls, 0.5 cm long; capillary rays common; ray receptacle elongated, filiform: spikelets 24-123 on each ray, 5-8 x 1.5 mm, generally elliptic or narrowly ovate, yellow green or yellow brown, darkening on drying and age; rhachilla straight, pale yellow: glumes lowermost 1-3 sterile, remainder fertile, 1.5-2.0 x 0.4-0.6 mm, narrowly ovate, base truncate, glabrous, pale yellow, margin scarious, keel three-nerved, central nerve excurrent into minute mucron: stamens 3; anthers 1.0 x 0.3 mm, yellow, crested; filament as long as anther, pale yellow: style 0.8 mm long, yellow brown; style branches 3, 2.4 mm long, black brown, papillate: achene when mature, 0.6 x 0.4 mm, obovate, with concave sides, stipitate; outermost cells rectangular, with markedly sinuous margins
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