2n = 56

Plants in small tufts, 5–20–(40) cm. tall. Rhizome 1–2 mm. diam., very shortly creeping, tufts < 4 cm. apart. Stems ∞, c. 0.5 mm. diam., rigid, often enclosed for half their length by the lf-sheaths; basal bracts ∞, mucronulate, often becoming fibrous. Lvs us. > stems, us. < 1 mm. wide, lamina in plants from Subantarctic Is concave on the adaxial surface just above the lf-sheath but distally becoming plano-convex or almost terete with a very shallow abaxial furrow, lamina in South Id plants flattened, rigid, bright green, polished, tips rigid; sheaths light cinnamon-brown, shining, with 2 obtuse auricles. Fls 5–10 mm. long, lower subtending bract lf-like, rigid, 1–3.5 cm. long, the upper membr., c. = tepals. Tepals lanceolate, acute, red-brown with paler membr. margins. Stamens 6, < tepals; anthers ± = filaments, connective apiculate. Capsule 3.5–10.5 × 2–7 mm., slightly > tepals, ellipsoid, hard, smooth and shining, chestnut-brown, mucronate, dehiscing loculicidally towards the apex. Seeds 1.2–2 × 0.6–1.2 mm., obovoid, shining, dark brown almost black, paler towards the base, not tailed.