Dense reddish tufts to ± 20 cm high. Leaves plano-convex. Female spikes 2-4, ± approximate, sessile, to 1 cm × ± 5 mm, red-brown. Stigmas 3.

Tufts dense, red-coloured. Culms 10–20 cm. × c. 1 mm., terete; basal sheaths light brown. Lvs us. > culms, but occ. = or < culms, 0.5–1 mm. wide, flaccid, lamina plano-convex, margins involute, slightly scabrid towards the filiform ± curled tip. Infl. of 3–5–(6) ± approximate spikes; uppermost spike male, shortly pedunculate; remaining spikes female 0.5–1 cm. × c. 5 mm., rarely with 1–2 male fls at the base, sessile, except occ. for a lowermost very distant pedunculate spike; subtending bracts lfy, > infl. Glumes slightly < utricles, membr., light red-brown with a stouter, paler midrib, acuminate, or with a short scabrid awn. Utricles 2.5–3 × c. 1 mm., subtrigonous or plano-convex, ± fusiform, dark red-brown, except for the pale beak and stipe, lateral nerves prominent, remaining nerves rather more faint; beak very narrow, c. 0.5 mm. long, orifice acutely bifid, scabrid; stipe hardly contracted, very short. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 mm. long, trigonous, light brown.