Stems central, slender but rigid, triquetrous, with scabrous angles at the top, much shorter than the leaves, 25-50 (-90) cm by 1½-2 mm (up to 3 mm at the somewhat incrassate top), with 1 or 2 well developed cauline leaves. Leaves numerous, coriaceous, linear, not petioled, with the midnerve prominent on the underside and several much less prominent lateral nerves, conduplicate at the base, with slightly revolute, spinulose-scabrous margins and the keel on the underside scabrous especially towards the apex, gradually tapering to a very long and very scabrous acumen, obscurely septate-nodulose, pale green, 6-11 mm wide, the lower sheaths bladeless or shortly laminate, pungent, stramineous to brownish. Inflorescence capitate, globose, with 5-6(-10) spikelets, 1½ (finally 2½-3) cm across. Bracts 3-5, the lower 1-2 very long, finally deflexed, similar to the leaves, the upper ones shorter, suberect. Spikelets ellipsoid, 1-1½ cm by 4-6 mm. Glumes chartaceous, ovate, rounded at the apex, with hyaline margins especially towards the apex, 3-5-nerved, brown or stramineous, c. 6 by 4 mm; lower sterile glumes 5-7-nerved. Flowers 5-7 mm long; outermost scales with narrowly winged keel; wings c. ⅓ mm wide, densely ciliate. Anthers 2-2½ mm long. Style 3-fid. Nut ellipsoid or obovoid, brown, 5-7 by 2½-3 mm (beak included), the base narrowed into a broad c. 1 mm long stipe, the apex rostrate by the short conical style.
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