2n = 88

Densely caespitose, 25–40 cm. tall. Culms c. 30 cm. × c. 0.5 mm., glab., subtrigonous or almost terete; basal sheaths straw-coloured or light brown. Lvs 4–6 per culm, <, = or > culms, 1–1.5 mm. wide, often dull red, occ. green, moderately scabrid on margins and upper surface. Spikes (3.5)–6–9–(12) cm. × c. 3 mm., female fls c. 10–20, rather distant, internodes to 12 mm. long at base of spike, c. 3 mm. long above. Glumes = or >, or rarely slightly < utricles, persistent, ovate-lanceolate, acute, membr., red or green with pale hyaline margins. Utricles 4.5–6 × c. 1 mm., subtrigonous, elliptic-lanceolate, striated or scarcely nerved, grey-green or reddish grey, contracted below to a stipe us. slightly > 1.5 mm. long, narrowed above to a beak slightly < 1.5 mm. long.