In small clumps about 25-70 cm high, with slender, dull green or reddish stems, the pith interrupted in a regular pattern by very small lacunae; the inflorescence composed of two small clusters about 1 cm wide, one pressed against the stem, the other at the end of a longer slender branchlet (occasionally each of the two clusters has a smaller subsidiary cluster); stamens 3—4, rarely more in occasional flowers; the capsule often exceeding the tepals, chestnut-brown, often very dark at the top.

Herba perennis in parvis densisque caespitibus. Rhizoma c. 3-4 mm diametro, bracteis parvis, confertissimis, castaneis, dense obtechim. Culmi c. 25-75 cm × 0.75-1.5 mm, duri, laeves vel parvulis rugis in longitudinem lineati, atro-viridi vel rubidi, medulla interrupta lacunis minimis ordinate dispositis; cataphylla basim culmorum arete amplexa, rubro-castanea, supra rutila vel straminea. Inflorescentia floribus paucis in duobus locis sitis, 1—(2) glomerulis infra plus minusve sessilibus, 1—(2) glomerulis supra ad apicem ramuli elongati. Tepala c. 2-3 mm longa, rubro-brunnea. Stamina 3, interdum variabilia 3—6. Capsula c. 2.5—3 mm longa, plerumque tepala paullo superans, oblonga, castanea, apice saepe subfusco, obtuso, nitido.

Small clumps; rhizome short. Stems 25-75 cm × 0.75-1.5 mm, wiry, dull green or reddish, pith interrupted in a regular pattern by very small cavities. Inflorescence of 2 clusters, one pressed against stem, one on a slender branch. Stamens 3-4. Capsule 2.5-3 mm long, often > tepals.

Small, tightly packed clumps. Rhizome 2–4 mm. diam., horizontal. Flowering stems 25–75 cm. × 0.75–1.5 mm., ± smooth, dull green or reddish, pith interrupted in a regular pattern by very small lacunae, pith partitions us. wider than cavities between; lvs 0; basal bracts short and closely sheathing, lower bracts bright red-brown, the upper straw-coloured. Infl. apparently lateral, compact, few-fld, composed of 2 small clusters c. 1 cm. wide, one pressed against the stem, the other at the end of a longer, slender branchlet, occ. each of the two clusters with a smaller subsidiary cluster. Fls 2.3–3 mm. long; tepals red-brown with light green centre at anthesis, becoming entirely red-brown as fr. matures. Stamens 3–4, rarely more in occasional fls. Capsule 2.5–3 mm. long, often > tepals, oblong-ovoid, obtuse, shining, chestnut-brown, often with a very dark brown tip.