Perennials, stoloniferous. Culms 30-70 cm tall. Leaves ca. 1/3 as long as culm; leaf blade linear, 1.5-2 mm wide, flat, both surfaces hairy, midvein abaxially prominent, apex acute. Involucral bracts 2 or 3, leaflike, usually shorter than or rarely equaling inflorescence, apex acute. Inflorescence a simple or subcompound anthela; rays 3-6. Spikelets solitary, ovoid to oblong-ovoid, 7-13 × 3-4 mm, with basal 1 or 2 glumes empty. Fertile glumes chestnut-brown, oblong-ovate, 3-4 mm, shiny, abaxially with 5-7 veins, midvein excurrent into a mucro. Stamens 3. Style compressed, ciliate, basally slightly inflated; stigmas 3. Nutlet white or pale brown, obovoid, ca. 1.3 mm, biconvex, with transversely oblong reticulation, inconspicuous vertical ribs, and sometimes verruculose. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.