Fairly robust perennial with up to 15 cm long very slender stolons covered by distantly spaced blackish or grey scales; stems 50–90 cm long and 2–5 mm thick (but wider across the leaf-sheaths), triangular. Leaves many in the lower part, the largest 20–60 cm long and 3–10 mm wide. Inflorescence a lax or somewhat congested anthela 5–20 cm long and 5–15 cm wide, consisting of 2–4 leafy bracts and 3–6 stalked spikes with or without stalked or sessile secondary spikes from the base of the primary spikes. Spikes 2–4 x 2–5 cm, with 5–20 spreading spikelets. Spikelets 5–30 x 1.5–3.5 mm, linear. Glumes 2.5–3 mm long, ovate, light to dark reddish brown with an uncoloured margin and a rounded apex. Style 3-branched. Nutlet 1.2–1.6 x 0.7–0.9 mm, obovate, triangular, brown.