Plants densely cespitose; rhizomes absent. Culms trigonous, 10–40 cm, scabrous proximal to inflorescence. Leaves: basal sheaths brown; distal leaf sheaths concave at mouth; blades 10–400 × 0.8–2 mm, equaling or exceeding culms at flowering and fruiting. Inflorescences: spikelets 3–8-flowered, 4.1–5.2 × 1.5–2.1 mm; bracts equaling spikelets, 3.7–6 mm, apex awned, awn to 3 mm. Spikelets: scales orange-brown to dark brown, midribs excurrent, apex mucronate. Flowers: perianth bristles 3–6, brown, terete, nearly equaling achenes, scabrous; anthers 1–1.5 mm. Achenes compressed trigonous, 1.5–2 × 0.7–1.1 mm.