2n = 48

Pale green, occasionally reddish, dense tufts to ± 70 cm high. Leaves plano-convex. Female spikes 2-4, usually approximate and sessile, 1-2 cm long, ovate, erect, light brown. Utricles usually nerveless; beak wide; with very wide orifice. Stigmas 3.

Densely tufted, pale green, sts reddish. Culms 9–65–(80) cm. × c. 1 mm., erect, terete, often slightly compressed, glab.; basal sheaths grey-brown, rarely reddish black. Lvs = or > culms, 1–1.5 mm. wide, narrow-linear, plano-convex, gradually tapering, with margins slightly serrated towards the subobtuse tip; sheath c. twice width of lamina, dull brown. Infl. of 3–5 light brown, erect spikes; terminal spike male, very pale brown and slender; remaining spikes female, with a few male fls at the tip and base, 1–2 cm. long, ovate, ± approximate or the lowest often more distant, sessile or very shortly pedunculate. Glumes ± = or slightly < utricles, ovate-lanceolate, acute to cuspidate, membr., chestnut-brown with paler brown midrib and margins. Utricles c. 3 × 1.5 mm., unequally biconvex, turgid, ovate-lanceolate, surface smooth or slightly nerved, brownish, slightly tapering to a wide beak c. 1 mm. long, margins glab., orifice broad, shallowly bidentate, very slightly scabrid; stipe minute. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 mm. long, trigonous, obovoid.