stems 2–3 ft. long, erect from a decumbent base, sparingly branched, glabrescent or tomentose; leaf-sheaths about 1/2 in. long, loosely convolute, membranous at the apex, mucronate-aristate; male spikelets approximate at the ends of the branches, each cylindric-lanceolate, nearly 1/2 in. long, protected at the base by a spathe of equal length; bracts elliptic, acute, shining, shortly mucronate; perianth-segments oblong, acute, conduplicate, villous on the keel; anthers ovate, acute, apiculate; female spikelets 3–6 in linear, spike-like cymes, each about 1/2 in. long, many-flowered, oblong, protected by an open spathe of equal length; bracts oblong, acute; outer perianth-segments oblong, obtuse, purple-spotted; lateral carinate, villous; inner obovate-spathulate, ultimately longer than the outer; fruit trigonous, clavate. null
