Stems compressed, sulcate-striate, smooth, completely hidden by the leaves, 1-5 cm by c. 1 mm. Leaves exactly distichous, overtopping the stems, c. 1 mm wide; margins scaberulous at the top; sheaths shining yellowish brown. Inflorescence almost capitate, consisting of (1-)2-3 approximate subsessile spikelets. Bracts overtopping the inflorescence, up to 5 cm. Spikelets oblong, 7-9 mm long (when there is only 1 spikelet the bracts assuming the aspect of glumes, up to 2 cm long). Glumes 3, lanceolate, acuminate, stramineous with green keel, often purplish lineolate. Hypogynous scales linear, bristle-like, with antrorsely scabrous-ciliate margins, whitish, about as long as the nut (without style-base), the outer ones slightly shorter than the inner ones. Style with incrassate conical base. Nut ellipsoid, stramin-eous or brown, at the top narrowed into the hispid, dark brown, persistent, conical style-base decurrent on the angles of the nut proper, 2½-3 by 1-1⅓ mm (style-base included).
One of the characteristic plants of alpine bog turf, forming carpets or in small rounded clumps, also in dense masses on alpine seepage slopes, 2500-4000 m.
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