Perennial from slightly swollen base composed of persistent leaf-sheaths and leaf-bases.. Leaves up to 25 cm. long, 1 mm. wide; sheaths blackish brown, longitudinally ridged, otherwise smooth, shiny, glabrous; ligule rounded, 2-lobed; lamina linear, smooth or very slightly rugulose; apex acuminate.. Peduncles 25–38 cm. long, ± 1 mm. in diameter, glabrous, 2-ridged towards the apex; spike subspherical, ± 8 mm. in diameter; sterile bracts very broadly ellipsoid, ± 5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, retuse at apex, thinly coriaceous, dark olive-brown; fertile bracts similar.. Lateral sepals 6 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, apiculate, keel bluntly denticulate; corolla yellow, lobes broadly ovate, ± 4 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, dentate at the apex.. Stamens ± 2.5 mm. long, including the 1 mm. long anthers.. Style-branches trifid at the apex; stigmatic surfaces swollen and rounded.. Ovary not seen.. Seeds ellipsoid, 0.5 mm. long, 0.3 mm. in diameter, with ± 16 longitudinal ridges.. Fig. 1/15.
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