Rhizomes short or not. Culms tufted, 60-90 cm tall, slender, erect, terete, nodose, glabrous. Leaves basal or 3-5 on culm, shorter than culm; sheath brown, 1.5-3 cm, mouth obliquely truncate; leaf blade linear, 3-5 mm wide, flat, abaxial midvein and margin scabrous, apex acuminate. Involucral bracts leaflike, usually shorter than inflorescence, sheathing. Inflorescences consisting of a terminal and 3-5 lateral anthelae; rays long, each with 3-12 spikelets. Spikelets solitary, sessile or pedunculate, oblong to ovoid-oblong, 5-7 × 2-3 mm, 10-15-flowered, sometimes spikelets bearing small plants. Glumes yellowish brown to pale yellow, ovate to oblong-ovate, 2-2.5 mm, membranous, both surfaces with dark brown short lines, with 1 yellowish green vein, apex acute to very shortly mucronate. Perianth bristles 6, ca. 1 mm, basally glabrous, apically densely yellowish brown long pubescent. Stamen 1; anther oblong, ca. 1 mm; connective apex short. Style ca. 1.5 mm, base slightly thickened; stigmas 3. Nutlet yellowish brown, obovoid to broadly obovoid, ca. 1.5 mm, 3-sided, shiny. Fl. and fr. Aug-Dec.