Robust tufts, usually many-leaved, individual shoots 5-10 mm thick above the stout, woody, rhizome-like base covered with fibrous remains of old leaves. Leaves flat, margins villous with long white hairs, especially at base of leaf. Inflorescence of one to numerous many-flowered clusters. Tepals acuminate. Stamens 6. Capsule shorter than tepals.

Leaves 2—5-(7) mm wide, often drooping. Flowering stems 3-15-(30) cm long, about equal to the leaves in length. Inflorescence a compact head, occasionally with 1-3 smaller lateral pedunculate clusters. Flowers 2.5-3-5- (4) mm long; tepals with a dark brown central stripe about ¼ width of tepals, membranous margins silver-white, distinct from tip to base of tepal. Capsule greenish brown to light red-brown.

Leaves 3-8 mm wide, rigid, usually erect. Flowering stems (6)—12—30— (40) cm long, overtopping the leaves at maturity. Inflorescence of several pedunculate clusters mostly c. 10 × 10 mm, peduncles subequal, 1-3 cm long, or contracted to a large, compact or semicompact head; subtending bracts 2—9, rigid, the longest as much as 3 times the length of the inflorescence. Flowers (2.5)-3-4.5 mm long; tepals with light brown centre and cream membranous margins, sometimes darker in forms with compact head. Capsule pale brown.

Folia rigida. Inflorescentia e multis capitulis composita, ramulis erectis subaequalibus, vel in unum magnum capitulum compacta; bracteae capitulis subjacentes, rigidae, conspicuae.

Leaves (3)-5-8-(11) mm wide, lamina often canaliculate just below the very dilated tip. Flowering stems (3)—10—30 cm long, usually much longer than the leaves. Inflorescence of numerous clusters on peduncles 0-5-7 cm long, or rarely a compact head. Flowers (2)-2-5—3.5-(4) mm long; tepals dark brown, membranous margins narrow. Capsule light brown to dark red-brown.

Leaves 3—7 mm wide, usually flaccid and drooping, former season's leaves long persisting. Flowering stems (10)—20—40 cm long, equalling the leaves. Inflorescence of 10-20 many-flowered clusters c. 5 × 5 mm, peduncles unequal in length, 1-13 cm long. Flowers 2.5—3—(3.5) mm long; tepals with a central light brown stripe about \ width of tepals, membranous margins cream. Capsule light greenish brown to very pale brown.

Folia pendentia. Inflorescentia e multis capitulis composita, ramulis pendentibus inaequalibus. Tepala pallidissima.

Leaves 1—3—(5) mm wide, exceedingly numerous, stiff and erect, former season's leaves persisting. Flowering stems 15—30 cm long, equal to or longer than the leaves. Inflorescence of numerous pedunculate clusters of 3-12 flowers, peduncles 0.5-3.5-(5) cm long, rarely contracted to a single head. Flowers 2-2.5—(3) mm long; tepals light or dark brown with cream membranous margins. Capsule sometimes almost as long as the tepals, light brown, darker towards the tip.

Plants of L. celata (from celatus L. hidden) are small and inconspicuous, sometimes half buried in sand with the inflorescence sunk within the leaves. Stoloniferous, in low-growing, small brownish tufts. Leaves 1-3 cm × 0.5—1.5 mm, lamina often involute towards the base, tip acute, margins villous with thickly clustered white hairs; sheath c. 2 mm broad, silver with red-brown striations. Flowering stems much shorter than leaves and hidden among them, scarcely elongating as fruit matures. Inflorescence 6-16- flowered, a single subsessile cluster of flowers, occasionally with a smaller pedunculate side cluster; subtending bracts 1-3, leafy, exceeding the inflorescence. Flowers c. 2 mm long; tepals membranous, almost entirely white except for a short, light brown stripe in the centre. Stamens 3, equalling the tepals, anthers very much shorter than the filaments. Capsule about equal to the tepals, pale brown, apex acute. Seeds 0.8-1.2 × 0.5-0.8 mm, dark brown, with a very minute caruncle.

Herba perennis, breviter stolonifera. Folia apice acuta, marginibus dense villosis. Caules brevissimi, inter folia celati, ad fructus maturitatem vix elongati. Inflorescentia parva, floribus paucis in 1—(2) capitula confertis. Tepala membranacea maximam partem alba, brevi, in medio, virga subfusca. Stamina tria. Capsula tepalis plus minusve aequilonga, subfusca.

Plants strict, dark green, very variable in size. Leaves rigid, usually with incurved margins, tapering very gradually to tip. Flowers 2-2.5 mm long; tepals dark brown, almost black at centre, with red-brown membranous margins. Stamens 6. Capsule about equalling the tepals, dark brown.

Leaves 1-5—5 mm wide, margins densely villous towards base. Inflorescence a rounded head with densely crowded flowers, sometimes with 1-3 smaller, lateral pedunculate clusters; margins of subtending foliaceous bracts and of floral bractlets densely villous with long white hairs.

Leaves 0.7—2.5—(3.5) mm wide, margins only slightly villous. Inflorescence varying from a single head to numerous clusters on erect branchlets up to 5.5 cm long; subtending foliaceous bracts and floral bractlets only moderately villous.

Tufts flaccid, usually few-leaved, often rhizomatous, individual shoots less than 4 mm thick at base. Leaves 2-3-(5) mm wide, margins moderately or scarcely villous. Flowering stems (4)-8-35-(50) cm long. Inflorescence of several clusters, central cluster subsessile, remaining clusters on slender peduncles. Flowers 2—3.5 mm long. Stamens 6.

Inflorescence of 2-10 flowered clusters, all of about equal size, c. 5 mm across, peduncles 1—3—(5) cm long, sometimes branched secondarily. Tepals lanceolate, acuminate, with a very conspicuous, narrow, dark brown central stripe contrasting with the white membranous margin. Capsule shorter than tepals, pale brown.

Plants invariably stoloniferous. Leaves reddish green. Inflorescence of several 3-25-flowered clusters, peduncles 1-6 cm long; subtending bracts usually much shorter than inflorescence. Tepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, bright chestnut brown with broad white membranous margins. Capsule more or less equal to or shorter than tepals, dark red-brown, often almost black towards tip.

Herba stolonifera. Tepala castanea, marginibus albis membranaceis. Capsula subfusca vel ad apicem fuscior.

Inflorescence of 1-3-(8) clusters, the central cluster larger, c. 10 mm across, from almost triangular to ellipsoidal in outline, subtended by 1-2 foliaceous bracts often much exceeding the sessile head, remaining clusters on flexuous peduncles 2-6-(8) cm long. Tepals lanceolate, acuminate, cream and membranous with a light brown central stripe. Capsule slightly shorter than the tepals, or sometimes as long as the tepals, greenish brown.

In scattered tufts. Inflorescence a single compact globose head, sometimes with 1-3 (rarely more) smaller lateral pendunculate clusters. Tepals ovatelanceolate, acute, pale rufous at first, later becoming darker, membranous margins narrow. Stamens 6. Capsule more or less equalling or slightly longer than tepals, red-brown or almost black.

Herba perennis in dissitis caespitibus. Influrescentia in unum multiflorum globosum capitulum compacta, interdum minoribus lateralibus pedunculatis capitulis. Tepala pallide rufo-fusca, tandem matura fusciora vel subnigra. Stamina 6. Capsula tepalis plus minusve aequilonga, vel paullo longior, rufo-fusca vel subnigra.

Leaves 2-5-6 mm wide, red-green, margin usually only slightly villous. Flowering stems (8)-15-30-(50) cm × 0.5-l-(1.5) mm. Flowers 2-2-5-(3) mm long.

Folia rufo-viridia, marginibus sparsim villosis.

Leaves 1.5-2.5 mm wide, dark green or reddish grey, tips acute in young leaves, later obtuse, margins thickly covered with white woolly hairs. Flowering stems (4)-7-12-(22)cm × 0.3-0.6 mm. Flowers 1.5-2.0-(2.5) mm long.

Folia angusta, marginibus dense villosis.

Leaves rather stiff, tapering very gradually to the acicular tip, margins usually slightly incurved, with long white hairs. Flowering stems (2)-10- 25-(40) cm long. Inflorescence usually pendulous with subsessile clusters of flowers congested into a pyramidal head. Flowers 1-7-2-5-(3) mm long; tepals chestnut to dark brown with broad or narrow silver membranous margins. Capsules more or less equal to tepals in length, chestnut to dark brown, almost black.

Leaves 1-5 mm wide. Stamens 3.

Leaves less than 2 mm wide. Stamens 6.

Folia angusta. Stamina sex.

Forming woolly-leaved patches. Leaves (1)-3-7-(15) cm × 2-3 mm, very much shorter than stems, gradually tapering to a subulate acute tip, margins incurved, upper \ of lamina covered on margins and abaxial surface with a dappled coating of tangled white woolly hairs. Flowering stems (5)-9-20-(25) cm long. Inflorescence a cylindrical or almost spherical spikelike head up to 2 cm long. Flowers 1.5-2 mm long; tepals dark brown with broad white membranous margins. Stamens 3-(4—6). Capsule more or less equal to tepals, dark brown to black.