Tussocky perennial with a horizontal rhisome set with 1 fresh stem and few–many old stem-bases often in a straight row; stem 20–35 cm long and 1–2 mm thick, terete to angular, smooth. Leaves from the basal 6 cm only; sheaths loose, pallid above, brown below; blades 5–15 cm long and 2–3 mm wide, flat or inrolled, scabrid on margin. Inflorescence a dense head 2–3 cm in diam., consisting of many crowded spikelets; involucral bracts 3-5, leafy, spreading or reflexed. Spikelets 10–15 x 4–5 mm, ovate, compressed, 10–20-flowered, sometimes pale as young, otherwise brownish. Glumes 5–6 mm long, pale to medium reddish brown with green midrib excurrent into a slightly recurved mucro at least 1 mm long in the uppermost glumes; lateral nerves prominent, 3–4 on each side of the midrib. Style with 3 long stigmas. Nutlet c. 2 x 1.2 mm, obovate, triangular with concave sides.