Tussocky perennial with a prominent woody rhizome to c. 5 mm thick; roots slender, without tomentum; stems solitary or a few together, 5–25 cm long and 0.7–1.5 mm thick, obtusely angular to somewhat compressed or almost terete, glabrous. Leaves numerous, mostly basal and only 2–3 cm up the stem; blade to 20 cm long but mostly prominently coiled up and then often less than 3 cm long, 0.5–2 mm wide, very thick, flat below, more squarish to triangular above, prominently but irregularly scabrid on margin and lower side of midrib; sheath glabrous, straw-coloured to reddish brown with a prominent almost white membranous margin. Inflorescence a terminal head 9–13 mm in diam., consisting of numerous crowded sessile spikelets; involucral bracts 2–3, to 9 cm long, spreading, leaf-like, but often not coiled up or coiled at the apex only. Spikelets 5–7 x 3–4 mm, ovate with obtuse or subacute apex, only slightly compressed, variegated grey-reddish brown, 10–20-flowered; the rhachilla prominently notched. Glumes 2–3 mm long, ovate, concave, reddish brown with a pale marginal border and 3–4 paler narrow nerves on each side of the midrib that is green and prominent in upper half of glume only; midrib ending in the obtuse apex or excurrent in a very short mucro. Style with 3 long branches. Nutlet 0.9–1 mm long and wide, rounded in outline, prominently triangular in section with all 3 sides very concave, grey and minutely papillose.
