Rhizomes short, slender, bearing few to several white, swollen (storage) leaf bases. Culms weakly cespitose or solitary, 8--40 cm. Leaves: basal leaves few; cauline leaves 2--3, to 17 cm x 7 mm, margins scarcely to densely ciliate. Inflorescences: glomerules 3--20 (each with 6--20 flowers), central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, cylindric, 5--12 x 5--7 mm; peduncles straight, erect, 0.5--7 cm; proximal inflorescence bract leaflike (margins pilose), shorter than inflorescence, margins pilose; bracts purplish with long clear apex, sheathing, margins sparsely to densely ciliate; bracteoles white-clear, shining, margins fimbriate. Flowers: tepals with shining chestnut centers and usually wide clear margins and apex, 2--3 mm; outer whorl usually exceeding inner whorl, at least by awned tip; anthers 1--2 times filament length; stigmas 3--4 times length of styles. Capsules brown, shining, obovoid (apex truncate), equal or longer than tepals, apex truncate. Seeds dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.9--1.3 mm; caruncle 0.5--0.7 mm. 2n = 12.
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