Rhizomes 2–5 mm diam. Culms sharply trigonous, sides deeply concave throughout to rarely nearly flat, 0.4–2.5 m × 3–10 mm. Leaves ca. 3, basal, less than 1/2 culm length; sheath fronts not pinnate-fibrillose; blades 1–3, V-shaped near base, otherwise laterally flattened-trigonous in cross section; distal blade 0.2–1.5 times as long as sheath, 25–200 × 2–8 mm. Inflorescences capitate or very rarely with 1 branch to 5 mm; proximal bract usually erect, resembling leaf blade, 1–6 cm. Spikelets 2–20, 5–15 × 3–5 mm; scales bright orange-to red-or purple-brown to straw-colored, often partly translucent, usually clearly lineolate-spotted, broadly ovate, 2.7–4 × 2–3 mm, smooth or awn sparsely spinulose, margins deciduously ciliolate, flanks of proximal scale often with several ribs, apex rounded to acute, notch 0.1–0.4 mm deep, awn not contorted, 0.2–0.6 mm. Flowers: perianth members (2–)5–6(–7), yellow-brown, bristlelike, slender to stout, often unequal to equaling 1/2 achene body, retrorsely spinulose; anthers 1.5–3 mm; styles 2-fid or 2-fid and 3-fid. Achenes brown when ripe, thickly plano-convex or unequally biconvex or compressed obtusely trigonous, obovoid, 1.8–2.8 × 1.3–2 mm; beak 0.1–0.3 mm. 2n = 78.
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A sedge. These grow in clumps and have grass like leaves and solid stalks.
The roots and tender shoots are used as food. The roots are eaten raw, boiled, baked or roasted. They are also pounded into flour.
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