Plants densely cespitose; rhizomes absent. Culms grooved, terete, 5–45 cm, smooth. Leaves: basal sheaths brown; distal leaf sheaths concave at mouth; blades 1.5–8 × 0.3–0.4 mm, much shorter than culms at flowering and fruiting. Inflorescences: spikelets 3–9-flowered, 3.3–7 × 1.2–3 mm; bracts equaling spikelets, 3.3–4.5 mm, apex with awn less than 1 mm. Spikelets: scales reddish brown to dark brown, apex mucronate to acute. Flowers: perianth bristles 6, brown, terete, equaling or exceeding achenes, smooth to scabrous; anthers 1.5–2.6 mm. Achenes compressed trigonous, 1.4–1.7 × 0.6–0.9 mm. 2n = 104.