Culms tufted, 20-25 cm tall, ca. 1.6 mm thick, rigid, striate, clothed at base with dark reddish brown scabrous leaf sheaths. Basal leaves reddish brown-gray; leaf blade ca. 75 cm × 3-4 mm, leathery, margin scabrous, apex acuminate. Involucral bracts 5 or 6, leaflike, ± ascending, ca. 30 cm, overtopping inflorescence, base cymbiform; bractlets cymbiform, broad, dark reddish brown hyaline with fine red lines, apex acuminate and scabrous. Inflorescence a compound anthela, 3-4 cm; rays unequal, ± rigid; second anthela 6-8 mm, sessile or pedunculate. Spikelets 6-20, densely congested into capitate spherical clusters, 1-1.2 × 1.2-1.5 cm, many flowered. Glumes reddish brown with fine red lines, oblong, 3-3.5 mm, 1-veined costa excurrent into an erect short mucro. Perianth bristles many, white, flat, surpassing glume, often connate at base. Stamen 1; connective apex conic, long. Style long; stigmas 3, reddish brown. Nutlet immature, ca. 1.5 mm, oblong 3-sided, apex acuminate. Fl. and (immature) fr. May.
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