Plants perennial, cespitose, also strongly clonal, 80–150 cm; rhizomes stoloniferous, scaly, 3–4 mm thick. Culms stiffly erect, leafy, triangular, multiribbed. Leaves ascending, overtopped by inflorescence; principal leaves flat proximally, 3–12 mm wide, apex attenuate, trigonous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary from distal culm nodes, mostly diffuse clusters of corymbs; clusters mostly loose; bracteal leaves usually exceeded by inflorescences. Spikelets red-brown or orangish tint, lanceoloid, 13–18 mm, apex acuminate; fertile scales lance-ovate, 10–13 mm, apex acute to acuminate, midrib short-excurrent, minutely scabrous. Flowers: longer perianth bristles extending from near tubercle base to 3 mm beyond, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits 1–2 per spikelet, 15–24 mm; body pyriform-obovoid, compressed, 4–5 × 2.8–3.5 mm, margins thick; surfaces concave, finely transversely striate, minutely cancellate; tubercle abruptly subulate, 2-grooved, 11–20 mm.
