2n = c. 60

Dingy reddish-green tufts to 25 cm high; rhizome short. Leaves concavo-convex, much > stems. Female spikes 2-4, sessile, close-packed, to 1 cm long, reddish-green to brownish. Utricles reddish-tipped. Stigmas 3.

Shortly rhizomatous; tufts ± distant, dingy reddish green. Culms (1)–2.5–8 cm. × c. 1 mm., cylindrical, glab.; shorter culms almost hidden by brownish lf-sheaths. Lvs > culms, up to 25 cm. long and 0.5–1 mm. wide, spreading, but not drooping, concavo-convex, paler on the adaxial surface, margins finely scabrid towards the tip. Infl. of 3–5 spikes, all sessile and close-packed; terminal spike male, erect, us. reddish brown, glumes awned. Female spikes 0.5–1 cm. × 3–4 mm., ovoid, reddish green to brownish; subtending bracts ∞, lf-like; glumes (excluding awn) us. slightly < utricles, ovate, us. emarginate and cuspidate, reddish brown with a thicker green midrib, or more uniformly red-brown. Utricles (2)–2.4–3 × 1–1.5 mm., plano-convex, ovoid-ellipsoid, light grey-green or yellow-brown towards the base, spotted with red or dark red-purple in large patches towards the top, nerves ± distinct, whitish; beak very short, up to 0.5 mm. long, slightly narrowed, often spotted red-purple, margins glab., orifice very shortly bidentate, almost truncate, scabrid; stipe minute, not much narrower than utricle. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1 × 1 mm., obovoid, trigonous with rounded angles, dark brown when mature.