Extremely robust, 1–2–(3) m. high. Rhizome 0.6–1 cm. diam., horizontal, covered with tightly appressed, overlapping, pale chestnut, papery scales. Roots thick and matted, 2–5 mm. diam. Culms simple below, 3–10 mm. diam., upper ⅔ much more slender, narrowly branched, branches stiff but flexible, smooth. Lvs reduced to acuminate sheaths, distant, closely appressed to the culm, c. (2)–3–(4) cm. long below, gradually smaller above; margins of sheaths at lowermost nodes split to form a fringe. Plants dioec. Infl. a terminal, cymose panicle, bracts subtending branchlets red-brown, acuminate, with membr. margins, each fl. enclosed by a rigid lanceolate bract. Fls pedicellate or almost sessile, each with 2 hyaline bractlets at the base. Tepals 6, lanceolate, acute, yellow-brown. ♂ with 3 stamens; anthers ⅔ length of tepals; filaments very short; ovary rud. ♀ with 3 slender staminodia, anthers aborted; style densely papillate along its whole length; ovule 1. Fr. c. 1 mm. long, slightly < 1 mm. wide, 2-sided with angles very much thickened, surmounted by a hard, thickened style-base c. 1 mm. long; dehiscing along one edge only. Seed c. 1 × 0.5 mm., oblong, brown, surface minutely reticulate.
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