Varying from small compact cushions 3 cm high to luxuriant tufts 20 cm high. Leaves usually < stems. Inflorescence a solitary terminal ebracteate red-brown ovate spike ± 1 cm long. Utricles smooth, shortly stipitate. Stigmas 2 or 3.

In thick tufts from an ascending rhizome. Varying from small compact cushions 3 cm. tall to luxuriant tufts 20 cm. tall. Culms (1)–5–10–(20) cm. × c. 0.5–1 mm., terete, smooth; basal sheaths light brown or grey-brown. Lvs , us. < culms, 0.5–1.5 mm. wide, involute at the base, flattened towards the tip and ± plano-convex, margins finely scabrid, tips obtuse to subacute. Infl. a solitary, terminal, androgynous, us. ebracteate, ovoid to oblong spike, (5)–7–10–(17) × 5–9 mm.; male fls , overtopping female fls. Glumes us. < utricles, ovate, acute, deciduous, membr., red-brown, midrib light brown, margins hyaline. Utricles (2.5)–3–4–(4.5) × c. 1 mm., plano-convex, elliptic-lanceolate, strongly reflexed when mature, smooth, glab., pale yellow-brown; beak c. 1 mm. long, red-brown, orifice oblique, membr.; stipe c. 1 mm. long, occ. absent. Stigmas us. 2, but occ. 3 in some fls. Nut 1.5–2 mm. long, oblong, smooth, biconvex in fls with 2 stigmas or subtrigonous in fls with 3 stigmas.