Leaves narrowly linear, flat, very gradually narrowed into a flagelliform, curved to circinnate, aculeate-scabrous point, scabrous on the margins and keel at least in the upper half, pale green or glaucescent, 30-65 cm by 4-6 mm; sheaths conduplicate, sharply keeled, purplish or fuscous. Scapes obscurely trigonous, smooth, (1-)3-10(-20) cm by ⅓-½ mm, the base clothed with a few bladeless, lanceolate, fuscous sheaths. Inflorescence simple, with up to 4 spikelets, usually consisting of a single spikelet; branches when present up to 1½ cm long. Spikelets at first oblong-ellipsoid, when in fruit ovoid or obovoid, brown, 5-15 by 5-6 mm. Glumes oblong-ovate, obtuse, 3 by 1½-1¾ mm. Flowers 2½-3 mm long; hypogynous scales 5, the upper 3 lanceolate or narrowly ovate. Stamens 2. Stigmas 3. Nut obliquely erect, lanceolate in outline, stipitate, 6-ribbed, trigonous because 3 of the ribs are more prominent and end in the beak, smooth, shining, brown, 3½-5 by 1-1½ mm (beak included); body ellipsoid, rather gradually attenuate at both ends; beak gradually long-attenuate, triquetrous, more or less curved, 1½-2 mm long.
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