Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 5--9 dm. Rhizomes 2--3 mm diam. Culms erect, 2--6 mm diam. Cataphylls 0 or 1--2, straw-colored, apex narrowly acute. Leaves: basal 1--3, cauline 2--6, straw-colored; auricles absent; blade 10--40 cm x (3--)7--12 mm. Inflorescences panicles or racemes of 20--50 heads, 2--14 cm, erect or ascending branches; primary bract erect; heads 15--70-flowered, obovoid to globose, 7--11 mm diam. Flowers: tepals green to brown or reddish brown, lanceolate, 2.4--3.7 mm, nearly equal, apex acuminate; stamens 6; anthers ½1/2 to equal filament length. Capsules slightly exserted, chestnut to dark brown, 1-locular, ellipsoid, 2.4--3.8 mm, apex acuminate, not beaked. Seeds elliptic to obovate, 0.4--0.6 mm, not tailed. 2n = 40.
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