2n = 82

Coarse tufts from a far-extending rhizome. Stems half buried in sand and much < grey-green leaves. Spikes 3-7, ± approximate. Utricles much > glumes, 6-7.5 mm long, corky, turgid, light yellow-brown, not or faintly nerved. Stigmas 3.

Tufts rather coarse, from a long creeping rhizome of c. 2 mm. diam. Culms 5–20 cm. long, terete, smooth, cream or light green, almost entirely enclosed by light brown or cream, occ. red-brown lf-sheaths; us. almost buried in sand. Lvs > culms, up to 40 cm. long, 1.5–3 mm. wide, channelled, rigid, glaucous, curved and tapering to a fine point, margins quite smooth. Spikes 3–7–(8), ± approximate; terminal spike male, often long-pedunculate, very slender, often with 1–3 very small, occ. partly female, spikes at the base; remaining spikes female, often male at the top, 1–3.5 × c. 1 cm. Glumes c. ½ length of utricles, rarely only slightly < utricles, ovate, acute, red-brown, with broad colourless hyaline margins, midrib very pale brown, thickened, us. produced to a short awn. Utricles 6–7.5 × 2–3.5 mm., biconvex to subtrigonous, ovoid, light brown, thick, corky, turgid, smooth or faintly nerved, narrowed to a bifid beak, 1.5–2 mm. long, orifice membr., crura faintly scabrid at tip. Stigmas 3. Nut 2.5–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm., trigonous, obovoid, light brown, shortly mucronate.