Herbs, perennial, densely cespitose, 40--60(--70) cm. Stems compact. Leaves in narrow fans to erect, 10--30(--40) cm; sheath base tan to brown, firm; blade mostly green or tinged with maroon, narrowly linear, flattened, plane or slightly twisted, 1--2(--2.5) mm wide, smooth, margins pale, narrow, incrassate, smooth or papillate. Inflorescences: scape sheaths exceeded by leaves; scapes linear, nearly terete, 0.7--1 mm wide, apically 2-ribbed, ribs smooth or papillate; spikes mostly ovoid or ellipsoid, 6--15 mm, apex acute; fertile bracts 5--6 mm, margins pale, strongly scarious, lacerate, often squarrose, submarginally often reddish, apex low-keeled. Flowers: lateral sepals included or slightly exsert, slightly curved, (5.5--)6--7 mm, keel concolorous, firm, finely lacerate or apically lacero-fimbriate, not papillate or ciliate; petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 5 mm; staminodes bearded. Seeds translucent, ellipsoid, 0.5--0.6 mm, prominently longitudinally lined. 2n = 189.
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