2n = c. 42

Slender, dull red tufts; rhizome short. Stems elongating when mature to ± 50 cm, > rather narrow channelled leaves. Female spikes 2-3, ± approximate and sessile, except occasionally lowest, ± 1 cm × 4 mm, dark red-brown. Stigmas 3.

Shortly rhizomatous; slender, dull red, ± distant tufts. Rhizome c. 1 mm. diam., closely covered by dark red striated bracts. Culms elongating when mature to c. 50 cm., c. 0.5 mm. diam., glab., flattened or subterete; basal sheaths light brown or reddish, nerves ± distinct. Lvs c. ¾ length of culms, 1–2 mm. wide, channelled, narrow-linear, margins scarcely scabrid at base with well-spaced teeth towards the tip. Spikes 3–4–(5), the uppermost ± approximate, sessile, the 1–(2) lowest often much more distant and on a long filiform peduncle; terminal spike male; remaining spikes female, 0.5–1.5 cm. × 2–5 mm., rarely with a few male fls at the base; subtending bracts lf-like, > infl. Glumes ± = or slightly < utricles, ovate, red-brown, midrib us. paler brown, but occ. darker brown, margins scarious, tips us. emarginate with a short but rather broad scabrid awn. Utricles 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm., subtrigonous, narrow-ovoid, or almost oblong, light brown below, dark red-brown above, surface smooth or faintly nerved, margins smooth, slightly narrowed towards a beak < 0.5 mm. long with a shallow bidentate scabrid orifice, somewhat contracted at the base to an extremely short stipe. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 mm. long, trigonous, oblong-obovoid, light brown.