Annual wetland herb, 4–13 cm high. Leaves ± terete, filiform, 2–5.5 cm long, 0.3–0.7 mm diam.; basal sheath with fine acute auricles 1.1–1.7 mm long. Scape at fruiting erect, 1.5–5 cm long, 0.4–0.5 mm diam. Infructescence an open spike or spike-like raceme, 1–6.5 cm long, 7–12 mm diam.; pedicels absent or 0.1–1.2 mm long. Fruits 6–54 per infructescence, widespread to semi-erect, slender and ± cylindric, slightly expanded at base, 3.2–5.8 mm long, 0.4–0.5 mm diam. Carpels 6, 3 fertile alternating with 3 sterile, separating at maturity; mature fertile carpels with dorsal surface ± flat but with a low narrow longitudinal ridge down midline and with lateral edges a little widened at base and extended into short downward incurved points linked by a translucent membrane; points contained within carpel outline, not projecting; central axis clearly visible between edges of mature carpels.
Occurs in damp sand loam and clay saline or subsaline soils, usually edging salt lakes and seasonally flooded claypans; also in shallow soils on granite outcrops; rarely in ephemeral freshwater sites.
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