Leaves linear, 6--8 cm, 2--3 mm wide at middle, apex broadly obtuse, veins 12--15, inconspicuous. Scapes 1 or 2, to 22 cm, ca. 7-ribbed; sheath 3--4 cm; receptacle densely villous; heads globose, ca. 5 mm in diam., glaucous; involucral bracts reflexed, straw-colored, narrowly ovate, 2.3--2.5 × 1.3--1.6 mm, membranous, glabrous; floral bracts obovate to obovate-spatulate, abaxially white clavate hairy toward apex, hairs 2--4-celled. Male flowers: sepals 2--2.2 mm, abaxially densely hairy toward apex, basally connate, apex 3-cleft, posterior cleft oblanceolate to linear, smaller than others, lateral clefts boatlike to spatulate; petals 3, ovate, anterior one slightly larger than others, hairy, gland black; anthers black. Female flowers: sepals 2 or 3, free, pubescent abaxially and at margin, posterior one linear, 1--2 mm, sometimes reduced or absent, lateral ones boatlike, 2--2.2 mm; petals 3, posterior one shorter than others, fleshy, adaxially villous, gland black; ovary 3-loculed; style 3-cleft. Seeds ovoid, 0.6--0.7 mm; testa hexagonally reticulate, prickles 1 per cell, T-shaped. Fl. and fr. Apr.