Rush-like; rhizome short, hard and woody, up to 3 mm. diam. Culms (10)–30–80–(90) cm. × 0.5–1.5 mm., densely tufted, longitudinally striate, grey-green or often red. Lvs reduced to ∞, very dark red-purple, basal sheaths, the uppermost 4–14 cm. long, the mucro much elongated, with toothed margins, occ. green. Panicle 1.5–3 cm. long, ± compact, with (1)–2–6–(9) spikelets at the tips of erect, slightly scabrid branchlets, the whole subtended by a stiff bract overtopping the panicle. Spikelets c. 5 mm. long, 2–4-fld, lanceolate. Glumes 4–6, lanceolate, 2–3 lowermost smaller, empty, membr. and colourless, or occ. brown; upper glumes darker brown, pale at the centre, margins hyaline, not ciliate. Hypog. bristles 6, filiform, almost = style, scabrid, persistent. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3, style often persistent. Nut 2–2.5 mm. long, slightly < 1 mm. wide, elliptic-oblong, greenish brown to red-brown, lighter brown at the angles, shining, smooth.
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