2n = c. 60–64

Densely caespitose. Leaves usually longer than the culms, c. 1 mm wide, scabrid on the margins above, planoconvex, cirrhose, basal sheaths 3-5 cm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. Culms up to 20 cm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide below the lowest bract sheath, smooth, terete. Inflorescence 7-15 (-20) cm long, lowest internode 5-15 cm long, lowest bract sheath 1-2 cm long. Spikes 4-5, upper 1 male, slender, 1.5-2 cm long, subsessile or on a slender peduncle up to 1 cm long, remainder female, 1-2 cm long, 0.4-0.5 cm wide, erect, lowest on a peduncle up to 1 cm long, remainder more shortly pedunculate or sessile. Female glumes shorter than or equalling the utricles, 2.3-3 mm long, ovate acuminate, tawny, the 3-nerved midribs produced into awns 3-6 mm long. Utricles 3-4 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, ovoid, turgid, smooth or striate, beak absent, crura 0.3-0.5 mm long, margins scarcely or not scabrid. Stigmata 3.

Dense caespitosa. Folia plerumque culmis longiora, c. 1 mm lata, scabris marginibus apicem versa, planoconvexa, cirrhosa, vaginis basalibus 3-5 cm longis, 1.5-2 mm latis. Culmi ad 20 cm longi, 0.4-0.5 mm lati infra bracteae infimae vaginam, laeves, teretes. Inflorescentia 7-15 (-20) cm longa, internodio infimo 5-15 cm longo, vagina bracteae infimae 1-2 cm longa. Spicae 4-5, summa 1 mascula, gracilis, 1.5-2.5 cm longa, subsessilis vel in pedunculo gracili ad 1 cm longo insidens, spicae ceterae femineae, 1-2 cm longae, 0.4-0.5 cm latae, erectae, spica infima in pedunculo ad 1 cm longo insidens, spicae ceterae pedunculis brevioribus vel sessiles. Glumae femineae utriculis breviores vel aequantes, 2.3-3 mm longae, ovatae, acuminatae, fulvae, costis trinervibus in aristas 3-6 mm longas productis. Utriculi 3-4 mm longi, 1.5 mm lati, ovoidei turgidi, laeves vel striati, rostro nullo, cruribus 0.3-0.5 mm longis, marginibus vix scabris vel glabris. Stigmata 3.

Light yellow-green ± stiff tufts to ± 20 cm high. Leaves plano-convex, tips strongly curled; sheaths light brown. Female spikes 3-4, ± distant, ± pedunculate, light brown, to 2.5 cm × ± 5 mm. Utricles-beak glabrous, but orifice scabrid, 0.4 mm long. Stigmas 3.

Tufts dense, ± stiff, light yellow-green. Culms 10–15 cm. × 0.5 mm., terete, glab., occ. elongating at maturity and slightly drooping at the tip; basal sheaths light brown. Lvs ± =, or us. > culms, c. 1 mm. wide, plano-convex, margins scabrid towards the strongly cirrhose tip. Spikes 4–5–(7); single terminal male spike very slender; remaining spikes female, 1–2.5 cm. × 4–5 mm., ± oblong, ± distant, erect, the uppermost sessile or shortly pedunculate, the lowest on a slender peduncle up to 1 cm. long. Glumes (excluding awn) us. slightly <, but sts = utricles, ovate-acuminate, hyaline but closely dotted with red-brown striae, the cream midrib thickened and produced to an awn c. as long as glume or longer. Utricles c. 3.5 × 1 mm., plano-convex, ovoid, turgid, tawny brown, us. with distinct paler brown nerves; scarcely narrowed to a glab. beak but crura relatively long and rarely scabrid on margins; stipe relatively thick, c. 0.5 mm. long, very pale brown. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, trigonous, oblong-obovoid, dark grey.