Sedge-like glabrous perennial to 55 cm. Stems several to many, erect, branched above. Leaves reduced to scales up to 6 mm long, rarely in upper part a few foliose, narrowly linear. Inflorescence a dense cylindrical spike; flowers arranged singly, tribracteate, subsessile; bracts herbaceous, narrowly linear, caudate, entire. Hypanthium 1-1.7 mm long. Sepals 2-3 mm long, linear, caudate, green-yellow to yellow. Corolla yellow, the tube darker; tube 5-6 mm long; lobes 2.5-3.5 mm long, acute. Gynoecium 3-partite. Immature cocci ellipsoidal, rugose.