Scapes lateral, obtusely trigonous to almost terete, leafless, smooth, 10-35 cm by 1-2 mm, at the base with a few acute ferrugineous sheaths up to 4 cm long, often also a bladeless sheath in or about the middle. Leaves subcoriaceous, linear, acute, up to more than 1 m by 10-20 mm, margins and midnerve scabrous at the top. Inflorescence globose, obovoid, or ellipsoid, consisting of 10-60 densely congested spikelets, 1½-2½ cm long. Bracts 3-4, similar to the basal sheaths of the scape, subspathaceous, shorter than to as long as the inflorescence, the lowest often somewhat remote. Spikelets (when in flower) oblong, acute, many-flowered, 5-8 by c. 2 mm. Glumes ovate to oblong-ovate, obtuse, with membranous-pellucid apex and margins, 2½-3 by 1¾-2 mm. Flowers about as long as the glumes. Anthers linear, 1-1½ mm long. Nut slightly flattened, ellipsoid or obovoid, acuminate at both ends, apiculate, longitudinally and subreticulately rugose, 2½-3 by 1¾-2 mm, fuscescent.
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