Leaves coriaceous, linear, with only the midnerve prominent, hardly narrowed towards the conduplicate base, gradually attenuate towards the very slender, triquetrous, aculeate-scabrous tip, densely aculeate-scabrous throughout the margins and on the upper part of the midnerve on the lower side, dark green, up to 170 by 1-3 cm; sheaths castaneous. Scapes lateral, trigonous, slightly thickened at the apex, smooth, 30-80 cm by 3-4 mm (up to 6 mm at the top), the base clothed with some lanceolate acute sheaths scabrous at the top and up to 15 cm long. Inflorescence capitate, globose or semi-globose, composed of c. 20 densely crowded spikelets, 3-4 cm across. Bracts ovate to lanceolate, many-ribbed, with scarious margins, scabrid at the top, 1-2 cm long. Spikelets ovoid to ellipsoid, 1½-2 cm by 8-10 mm. Glumes coriaceous, oblong, obtuse, strongly many-nerved, reddish brown, 9-12 by 5-6 mm, the flower-bearing ones much less firm, 3-nerved. Flowers about as long as the glumes, 9-14 mm long; outermost scales ciliate in the upper half, not or hardly winged. Anthers linear, 4-5 mm. Style bifid, rarely some trifid. Nut obovoid, brown, c. 5 by 3 mm, the very short beak included.
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