Tussock-like perennial herb, always caespitose, often with short and spreading rhizomes, and not forming a trunk. Leaves 25—80 cm × 2.4—3.2 mm, ascending to spreading, channelled, soft, red or red-green, keel and margins scabrid. Culms 20—50 cm × 1.8—2.1 mm, glabrous and approaching triquetrous in lower part, scabrid and trigonous in upper part; similar in length to, or shorter than, the leaves; basal sheath up to 90 mm long, red or red-green, becoming straw coloured when dry. Inflorescence 80-140 mm long, usually with a single proximal branch, without subtending bract; spikes 1.5—15 mm long; upper spikes crowded ± sessile. Male florets distal. Glumes 2.1-3.0 × 1.9- 2.2 mm, shorter than utricles, ovate, membranous, persistent, acuminate, light-brown, with a straw coloured midrib, margins hyaline. Utricles 2.3—3.5 × 1.6—2.3 mm, broad or narrow, plano-convex, ovoid, turgid, light brown to brown, smooth, shining, nerves distinct at base; beak 0.5-0.8 mm long, entire or with minute crura; stipe 0.2-0.4 mm long; beak and upper part of utricle winged, with scabrid margins, cream to light brown. Stigmas 2. Nut 1.7-2.0 mm long, biconvex, ovoid to obovoid, light-brown. FL Nov-Dec; FT Jan-May.