Light green, robust, densely tufted, 45-100 cm high. Female spikes c. 5, distant, erect on short peduncles, ± 5 cm × 5 mm, very light brown. Glumes pale cream. Utricles distinctly nerved. Stigmas 3.

Densely tufted; robust, 45–100 cm. tall. Culms 1–1.5 mm. diam., trigonous, smooth; basal sheaths red-brown, yellow-brown or grey-brown. Lvs > culms, 3–4 mm. wide, double-folded, light green, glossy, margins slightly scabrid. Spikes 5–7; terminal 1–(2) spikes male, occ. mixed with female fls; remaining spikes female, 1.5–6 cm. × 5–7 mm., shortly pedunculate, erect, distant, the lower often compound. Glumes (excluding awn) < utricles, ovate, acute or emarginate, pale cream flecked with small brown striae, membr., midrib green, produced to a very fine scabrid awn c. ½ length of glume. Utricles 2.5–3 × c. 1 mm., ellipsoid, turgid, light yellow-brown, occ. darker brown, especially towards the top, distinctly nerved, margins near the top finely scabrid, gradually tapering to the narrow bifid beak, c. 0.5 mm. long, orifice scabrid. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, trigonous, light brown.