Plant forming deep cushions up to many cm. across; branches many, us. close, lfy throughout their length, which may reach 5 cm. or more. Adventitious roots ∞ amongst old lf-bases, binding lower parts of cushion into peat-forming mass. Lvs fleshy, closely spaced, ± spreading, sheath membr., pale, large and persisting after blade withers; blade subulate to linear-subulate, 4-10 mm. long, when dry strongly bordered above and round the obtuse tip where also a short length of midrib is thickened. Peduncles us. short, fls 3 mm. long, amongst lvs. Disk obvious, sepals 4, subulate, obtuse and bordered like the lvs; stamens short; capule splitting into 4 narrow lobes longer than sepals when mature.