Perennial herb; taproot swollen and sometimes 2–several-fid to support a densely packed bunch of stems without very evident vegetative buds (some small ones are present), occasionally forming slender rhizomes bearing more stems; stems green or orange-green, numerous, erect, 10–60 cm tall, branched from near the base upwards; ribs strongly raised except near base, extending into midrib of scales and bracts.. Leaves all reduced to scales, small at base of stem, grading upwards into bracts, mostly lanceolate, lowermost sometimes more oblong-obovate, 1–2.5x0.3–1 mm, acute to apiculate, margins scarious and sometimes ± erose, ± keeled.. Flowers sessile, 1–2 in each bract, mostly crowded on condensed short shoots, with up to 10 flowers on shoots 0.5–1 cm long, but other flowers in elongate spikes, the bracts more distant below;bracts acuminately ovate or lanceolate, 2–3x1.5–2 mm, apiculate, with scarious margins, keeled; bracteoles 2, similar.. Perianth yellow-green outside, yellow or whitish within; tube 1–1.2 mm long, with small swellings below sinuses of lobes; lobes narrow, tapering to a hooded tip, 1.8–2.2 mm long, margins slightly inflexed, glabrous; hood 0.1 mm long.. Stamens inserted on lower part of perianth lobes; filaments conspicuous, 0.6–0.8 mm long; anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long.. Style 2.8–3 mm long, nearly as long as perianth.. Fruit buff to pale brown, ovoid-globose to ellipsoid-globose, 1.2–2 mm long, 1–1.5 mm in diameter, ribbed but not strongly reticulate.
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