Herb 5.5–29 cm high. Leaves linear, 0.9–3 cm long, 0.06–0.1 cm wide, 1–3-nerved. Peduncle 5.5–29 cm long, with 4 or 5 ribs. Sheath 11–32 mm long. Flower heads globular to cylindric, 1.3–3.25 mm long, 1.1–2.5 mm wide. Involucral bracts hyaline, sometimes with darker central area, elliptic to broadly elliptic, 0.4–0.75 mm long, 0.475–0.7 mm wide, obtuse, glabrous, not reflexed at maturity. Floral bracts hyaline, elliptic to obovate to ± orbicular, 0.55–0.925 mm long, 0.4–0.55 mm wide, obtuse, glabrous or pubescent with apical patch of white hairs. Receptacle glabrous, conical. Male flowers c. 0.8 mm long; sepals 3, fused but split on one side to form a spathe which is often deeply 3-lobed, black or hyaline, 0.45–0.875 mm long, 0.3–0.375 mm wide, obtuse lobes or spathe truncate, glabrous or pubescent with apical fringe of white hairs; petals 3, hyaline, equal, linear or oblong, obtuse, pubescent with white hairs in apical fringe and adaxially; stamens 6; anthers yellow. Female flowers: sepals 0–3, hyaline, equal, linear to narrowly elliptic, lacking dorsal keel or wing, 0.3–0.6 mm long, 0.05–0.1 mm wide, acute, glabrous; petals (2 or) 3, hyaline, equal, linear, 0.4–0.6 mm long, 0.05–0.125 mm wide, obtuse, pubescent with apical fringe of white hairs; ovary 3-locular. Seeds 0.375–0.4 mm long, 0.35–0.4 mm wide; epidermal cells with even wall thickenings.
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