Slender to coarse, smooth perennial 20-100 cm high; stems short, sometimes rhizomatous. Leaves erect or in a fan, (5-)10-30(-40) cm, soft, often with maroon pigment, sheath ciliate or entire, narrowing to blade, apically with short-triangular ligule, blade flattened, 1-5(-7) mm wide, margins lustrous, thickened, smooth, less often papillose or scabridulous. Scapes distally terete, 1-2 mm thick, with several strong ribs; spikes ovoid to lance-cylindric or ellipsoid, 1-2 cm, many-flowered, empty bracts several, grading larger into flowering bracts, these broadly ovate to obovate, 5-7 mm, subentire, narrowly rounded, convex, with distinct dorsal area bisected by a distinct, evidently branched midvein. Lateral sepals free, subequilateral, linear-oblanceolate, 4.5-5 mm, keel lacero-ciliate from middle to apex; petals obovate, 4-5 mm; staminodes bearded; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Capsule 3-5 mm, placentation parietal; seeds cylindric or fusiform, 1-1.5 mm, amber.
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