Leaves coriaceous, linear, with only the midnerve prominent beneath, and several very indistinct lateral nerves, hardly narrowed towards the conduplicate base, gradually attenuate to the very slender, triquetrous, aculeate-scabrous tip, densely aculeate-scabrous throughout the margins and on the upper part of the keel on the lower side, glaucous, up to 120 by (1-)2(-3) cm; sheaths stramineous to light brown. Scapes lateral, trigonous, slightly thickened at the apex, smooth, 10-40 cm by 1-3 mm, the base clothed with some lanceolate, acute sheaths up to 15 cm long. Inflorescence capitate, with 5-15 spikelets, 2-5 cm long and wide. Bracts ovate to lanceolate, many-ribbed, with scarious margins, 1-2 cm long. Spikelets ovoid or ellipsoid to cylindrical, 1-5 cm by 6-8 mm. Glumes coriaceous, ovate, obtuse, strongly many-nerved, almost ribbed when dry, reddish brown, 7-9 by 5-6 mm, the upper ones less firm, 3-5-nerved. Flowers about as long as the glumes or slightly longer; outermost scales with a narrow, membranous, ciliate wing on the keel. Anthers linear, 2-3 mm. Style 3-fid. Nut ellipsoid or pyriform, shortly stipitate, brown, 4½−5 by 2-2½ mm, the 1-1½ mm long, recurved beak included.
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