Herb 4–24 cm high. Leaves filiform or linear, 2.5–13 cm long, 0.1–0.3 cm wide, 3–6-nerved. Peduncle 4–24 cm long, with 4–8 ribs. Sheath 10–95 mm long. Flower heads globular, 3–8 mm long, 3.5–9 mm wide. Involucral bracts hyaline, ovate to elliptic, 1.75–3.5 mm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, obtuse, glabrous, strongly reflexed at maturity. Floral bracts hyaline, obovate or elliptic or lanceolate or oblanceolate, 1.6–3.75 mm long, 0.6–1.5 mm wide, acute to obtuse, pubescent with white hairs towards apex. Receptacle sparsely hairy, conical. Male flowers 1.5–2.1 mm long; sepals 3, fused but split on one side to form a spathe which is often deeply lobed and readily splitting, hyaline, 1.25–3.25 mm long, 0.53–1 mm wide, obtuse, pubescent with white hairs in apical fringe and on median region; petals 3, hyaline, equal, oblong, acute or obtuse, pubescent with apical fringe of white hairs; stamens 6; anthers black. Female flowers: sepals 3, hyaline, equal, oblong or elliptic or obovate, lacking dorsal keel or wing but rarely with midvein slightly raised, 1–2.6 mm long, 0.4–0.7 mm wide, obtuse to truncate, pubescent with white hairs on median region; petals 3, hyaline, equal, spathulate or linear or oblong, 1.25–2.75 mm long, 0.25–0.5 mm wide, acute to obtuse, glabrous or pubescent with apical fringe of white hairs; ovary 3-locular. Seeds 0.3–0.43 mm long, 0.26–0.33 mm wide; epidermal cell walls with longitudinal rows of hair or peg-like projections, often with a terminal cap and often erect.
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