Plants solitary or in small tufts, (5–)10–70 cm, clonal; rhizomes strongly present, stoloniferous. Culms leafiest toward base, ± trigonous, slender. Leaves: basal leaves spreading ascending, distal more erect, mostly exceeded by culms (except in high altitude forms); blades proximally flat or strongly folded, 1.5–4 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate. Inflorescences: spikelet clusters (2–)3–5, compact, proximalmost widely spaced, turbinate to ovoid; peduncles ascending; branches ascending to spreading; leaf bracts exceeding proximalmost clusters, exceeded by distal cluster. Spikelets deep red brown to nearly black, ovoid, 3–4 mm, apex acute; fertile scales ovate, 2.5–3 mm, apex acute, midrib included or short excurrent. Flowers: perianth bristles 6, some short, some extending to or nearly to tubercle base, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits 2–3 per spikelet, 2–2.1 mm; body pale yellow brown, lenticular, broadly ellipsoid obovoid, 1.3–1.6 × 1–1.2 mm; surfaces transversely irregularly rugulose, intervals with rows of vertical, narrowly rectangular alveolae; tubercle evenly or concavely triangular, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm.
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