Glabrous. Stolons up to 12 in. long, 1/8 in. in diam., terete; nodes 1 in. apart, scales 1 in. long, elliptic-oblong; roots not woolly. Stems 4–16 in. long, stout, trigonous, smooth, often approximate. Leaves often as long as the stem, 1/5– 1/4 in. broad, coarse, tough, hardly scabrous. Umbel much contracted, usually 1 compound head, when young pallid or cinnamon-coloured, when ripe deep brown; bracts 3–6, lowest 4–8 in. long, similar to the leaves. Spikelets often 10–20 to a spike (3 or 5 spikes agglomerated or nearly so), 1/2 by 1/6 in., 8–14-flowered, slightly compressed. Glumes ovate, obtuse, hardly apiculate, round on the back, many-nerved. Nut 1/3 the length of the glume, obovoid, shining black.
