Herb, dioecious, rhizomatous, often forming large dense tussocks. Rhizomes stout, up to c. 15 cm long, 2–5 mm diam.; scales ovate-deltoid, pale or dark brown, scarious. Cataphylls 1–2 cm long, often weathering away, sometimes with a long (to 5.5 cm) filiform lamina. Culms erect, terete or rarely flattened, rigid, simple or rarely with slender, erect branches, 0.2–1.2 m long, 1–3.5 mm diam., smooth or finely striate; lowest internode mostly long (4–8 cm); upper internodes similar. Sheaths persistent, 1–2 cm long, closely appressed, straw-coloured to dark brown, scarious, finely striate; ovate to broad lanceolate, acuminate to subulate; lamina erect, 0.1–0.5 cm long. Inflorescence up to 18 cm long, slender; flowers numerous, small, dark brown, crowded on short erect branches, with up to 40 flowers per branch, and up to 11 branches per inflorescence. Spathes shorter than branches, erect, 5.0–7.0 mm long; floral bracts 2, 1.2–2.1 mm long, aristate. Male flowers: outer tepals slightly longer, 1.5–2.3 mm long, broad lanceolate, acute to acuminate, concave, rigid, brown; anthers 0.8–1.3 mm long. Female flowers: tepals similar length to males. Seeds ellipsoidal, smooth, not distinctly colliculate, the surface with a fine network of low patent plates.
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