Rigid rhizomatous tufts to 60 cm high. Spikes 4-8, pedunculate, ± approximate, ± 5 cm × 5-7 mm. Glumes dark red-brown, obviously awned. Utricles cinnamon-brown; beak < 0.5 mm long. Stigmas 2.

Rhizomatous; tufts rather rigid. Rhizome 2–4 mm. diam., hard, woody. Culms (8)–22–50–(60) cm. × (1.0)–1.5–2.5 mm., trigonous, lightly scabrid below infl.; basal sheaths light brown, grey-brown or reddish brown. Lvs ∞, > culms, 2–4 mm. wide, double-folded, ± erect, keel and margins of lamina sharply scabrid. Spikes 4–8, pedunculate, all ± approximate or the lowest more distant, terminal (1)–2–3 spikes male, the remainder female, often male at the tip, 3–5.5–(7.5) cm. × (4)–5–7 mm., lower spikes often with 1–2 secondary spikes at the base. Glumes < or ± = utricles, ovate-oblong, emarginate with a strongly scabrid awn to 6 mm. long, dark red-brown, coriac.; midrib broad, 3-nerved, green to later light brown. Utricles 3–4.5 × 2–2.5 mm., biconvex, rather compressed, ovoid, us. cinnamon-brown, with many distinct nerves on each face, smooth, tapering gradually towards the short beak, < 0.5 mm. long, orifice entire, slightly bidentate, occ. faintly scabrid; stipe slightly < 0.5 mm. long. Stigmas 2. Nut 1.5–2 mm. long, plano-convex, oblong or ovoid, brown.