Small tufted perennial.. Leaves 3–5(–8) cm. long, 1 mm. wide; sheaths brown, rugulose, appressed-rufous-pilose at the extreme base, ciliate on the margins and irregularly ciliate on the 2 dorsal ridges; lamina linear, flattened, rugulose throughout; apex acute, solid, smooth.. Peduncles 14–30 cm. long, terete, smooth, glabrous; spike obovoid, 5–6 mm. long, dark red-brown; outer sterile bracts elliptic, ± 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, red-brown, apex obtuse, with a single strong nerve, inner similar but thinner and 3-nerved; fertile bracts similar but broader and thinner, often papillose towards the apex.. Lateral sepals ± 4 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, strongly keeled, the keel irregularly ciliate-toothed, the teeth below the middle often directed downwards, red-brown, the keel darker; apex apiculate; corolla-lobes broadly obovate, ± 3.5 mm. long, 3 mm. wide.. Filaments ± 0.5 mm. long; anthers ± 1 mm. long; staminodes a bunch of hairs.. Style trifid.. Seeds ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.5 mm. long, 0.25 mm. in diameter, with ± 12 longitudinal ridges.. Fig. 1/10.