Leaves densely crowded, subcoriaceous, linear, with the midnerve prominent beneath, somewhat plicate lengthwise along several distinct lateral nerves, slightly narrowed towards the conduplicate base, very gradually narrowed into a long, flagelliform, triquetrous, aculeate-scabrous acumen, densely aculeate-scabrous throughout the margins and on the midnerve beneath, pale or bright green, up to 1 m by 7-10 mm; sheaths ferrugineous to brown. Scapes lateral, from the caudex below the leaves, very slender, much shorter than the leaves, striate, 7-30 cm by ½-1 mm, up to 2 mm thick at the somewhat incrassate apex, the base clothed with some stramineous or brown, loose scales up to 5 cm long. Inflorescence consisting of a single spikelet, ovoid when in fruit, terete, acute, 10-15 by 5-6(-10 when in fruit) mm. Glumes subcoriaceous, with scarious margins, ovate-lanceolate, many-nerved, 8-10 mm long, the upper ones less firm, oblong, obtuse or lacerate, brown-puncticulate at the top, 5-7-nerved. Flowers about as long as the glumes; outermost scales ciliate on the hardly or narrowly winged keel. Style 3-cleft. Nut fusiform or pyriform, terete, shortly stipitate (stipe ½-1 mm), greyish or blackish brown, 4-7 by 2-3 mm, the short recurved beak included.
In primary forests, on river banks, locally abundant, at low altitudes.
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