Leaves linear, 4--12 cm, (0.6--)2--4 mm wide at middle, veins 5--15. Scapes numerous, (7--)20--35(--50) cm, 4-or 5-ribbed; sheath 3--7 cm; receptacle densely villous; heads straw-colored, subglobose to conical-cylindric, 4(--7) × 4--6 mm; involucral bracts straw-colored, oblong to ovate, (2--)3--4.5 × 1.2--2.2 mm, adaxially shortly deciduous hairy at margin, abaxially glabrous; floral bracts obovate to oblanceolate, hairy abaxially and at margin. Male flowers: sepals spathelike, 1.5--2.2 mm, abaxially with a few (and apex with numerous) white, clavate hairs, apex truncate or 3-lobed; petals 3, broadly ovate, small white hairy at apex, gland black; anthers black. Female flowers: sepals spathelike, 1.5--2 mm, abaxially sparsely hairy, basally connate, margin long hairy, apex shortly hairy, 3-lobed; petals 3, clavate, fleshy, villous adaxially and with many short hairs at apex, gland brown to black; ovary 1-loculed; stigma 1. Seeds subglobose to ellipsoid, ca. 0.9 mm; testa reticulate, prickles 1 per cell, T-shaped. Fl. and fr. Jun--Nov.