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Plants colonial from long-creeping rhizomes. Culms solitary or few together, 5–35(–70) cm, usually not more than 1 mm diam. basally; basal sheaths persistent, brown or reddish, septate-nodulose. Leaves: blades channeled or strongly involute, 3–12 cm; distal leaves usually bladeless with black-tipped sheath. Inflorescences: involucre absent. Spikelets solitary, erect, broadly obovoid to subglobose in fruit, 8–12(–40) mm; scales gray to blackish green; proximal empty scales not more than 7, ovate, 4–10 mm, midrib not reaching tip; distal scales narrower, more attenuate, margins hyaline, not more than 1 mm wide. Flowers: perianth bristles 10 or more, bright white, sometimes red-tinged, 15–30 mm, smooth; anthers 0.5–1.5 mm. Achenes narrowly oblong, 0.4–2.5 mm, apex with subulate beak. 2n = 58.
