Herbs, perennial, cespitose, occasionally solitary, 2--8(--10) cm, base bulbous. Stems compact. Leaves erect or ascending, 15--30(--50) cm; sheaths pinkish to red, soft; blade green, linear, flattened, twisted, 5--10 mm wide, smooth, margins smooth. Inflorescences: scape sheaths exceeded by leaves; scapes linear, often flexuous, terete, to (1.5--)2(--3) mm wide, distally 2--4(--6) ribbed, ribs smooth or papillate; spikes ovoid to cylindric, 8--30 mm; fertile bracts 5--7 mm, margins entire, apex rounded. Flowers: lateral sepals included, light brown, slightly curved, 5--7 mm, keel scarious, lacerate; petals, unfolding at midday, blade broadly obovate, 5 mm; staminodes bearded. Seeds translucent, ellipsoid, 0.5--0.6 mm, longitudinally irregularly ribbed, with fainter cross lines. 2n = 18.
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Lvs shallowly set, linear, mostly 20-40(-50) cm × 5-10 mm, deep lustrous green, twisted, ascending, flexuous, usually anthocyanic at the abruptly expanded and thickened, fleshy, scale-like base; scapes 5-11 dm, twisted, flexuous, terete and smooth or with very low ribs below (the ribs obscurely papillate), slightly compressed and often 1-ridged above; spikes 1.5-3(-4) cm at maturity, ellipsoid to ovoid or oblong; lateral sep shortly included, the keel narrow except toward the expanded, lacerate tip; pet-blades yellow or white, obovate, 5 mm, unfolding in the afternoon; 2n=18. Moist but not really wet, often sandy places, somewhat weedy; coastal plain from Va. to Fla. and La. Midsummer-fall.
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