stems cæspitose; sterile much branched, diffuse, leaf-bearing; fertile 1 ft. long, less branched, erect, terete, slender, rather coarsely tubercled; sheaths about 1/2 in. long, coriaceous, striate above, membranous, mucronate-acuminate; sheaths of the sterile branches shorter; apex hyaline, 2-lobed; mucro foliaceous, recurved; male spikelets 2–6 in linear, spicate cymes each about 1/2 in. long, cylindric-lanceolate; spathe bract-like; bracts ovate-oblong, obtuse, coriaceous, membranous above, shortly mucronate or muticous; flowers oblong-lanceolate; outer perianth-segments lanceolate, pointed; keel villous; inner subequal, smaller; anthers linear-oblong, apiculate; female spikelets 2–3, each about 1/4 in. long, oblong, acute, many-flowered; bracts and perianth as in the male; ovary compressed, orbicular, 2-lobed; style terete, dividing into two branches. null
