Plants perennial, light green, heterophyllous; rhizomes brown, 0.7-3 cm diam. Stems erect to ascending, sparingly branched in distal 1/ 2, not wiry, 25-60 cm. Leaves: ocrea 6-12 mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part soon disintegrating into brown fibers, later leaving almost no fibrous remains; petiole 0-2 mm; blade light green, linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 8-35 × 2-8 mm, margins flat, apex acute or obtuse; stem leaves 2.1-4 times as long as adjacent branch leaves; distal leaves sharply reduced, not overtopping flowers (shorter than or equaling flowers). Inflorescences axillary and terminal, spikelike; cymes in distal nodes, 2-6-flowered. Pedicels exserted from ocreae, 2-4 mm. Flowers semi-open; perianth 2-3.5 mm; tube 18-25% of perianth length; tepals overlapping, green with white or sometimes pink margins, petaloid, not keeled, oblong to obovate, cucullate; midveins usually unbranched; stamens 7-8. Achenes enclosed in perianth, brown, ovate, 3-gonous, (1.6-)1.8-2.6(-3) mm, faces subequal or unequal, apex not beaked, edges concave, shiny, smooth or roughened; late-season achenes common, 4-6 mm.
Home