Rhizomes short, stout. Culms 1-1.5 m tall, stout, erect, rigid, obtusely 3-angled, 5-8-nodose. Leaves shorter than culm; sheath usually reddish brown, 3-10 cm; leaf blade 0.5-1.5 cm wide, ± stiff. Involucral bracts 2-4, leaflike, usually shorter to rarely longer than inflorescence. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, a large compound or decompound anthela, with many rays; first ray to 20 cm, slender; rays and peduncles scabrous. Spikelets mostly solitary, sometimes in clusters of 2-8, globose-ellipsoid, 2.5-3.5 mm, densely many flowered, apex rounded. Glumes rust-colored (concolorous), deltoid-ovate to broadly ovate, 1.3-1.5 × 0.7-0.8 mm, membranous, with 1(-3) brown veins, apex acute. Perianth bristles 6, ca. 1.5 × as long as nutlet, basally flexuose, distally straight, apically antrorsely scabrous. Anthers linear-oblong. Style of medium length; stigmas 3. Nutlet pale yellow, ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 × 0.5 mm, compressed 3-sided, slightly exceeding subtending glume when mature. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.
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