In coarse tufts from a woody rootstock. Culms 50–140 cm. × 4–6 mm., rigid, laterally flattened with sharp, very minutely scabrid edges, to ± convex above. Lvs 3–5 mm. wide, similar to the culms but us. shorter, equitant at the base, margins, extremely minutely scabrid, tips acuminate. Panicle 10–20–(35) cm. long, narrow, rigid; branches distant, us. simple, erect; lowest bract with a stiff lamina 2–6 cm. long, upper bracts shorter, conspicuously mucronate, brown. Spikelets c. 6 mm. long, distant on the lower branches, fascicled above, 1–2–(4)-fld, only the uppermost fl. fertile. Glumes 5–7, ovate, acuminate, pubescent towards the tip, the lowest 2–3 empty. Hypog. scales 6, connate at the base, each terminated by a fine ciliate seta, up to ½ length of nut. Nut 2.5–3.5 × 1.5–2 mm., ovoid, ± trigonous, the angles thickened, surface at first wrinkled, becoming smooth at maturity, brown; persistent style-base hardly distinguishable from nut, glab., brown, with a small black mucro.
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