Fairly slender perennial with 1–5 crowded stems with small swollen stem-bases c. 5 mm thick frequently set in a horizontal row and covered by reddish brown leaf-sheaths sometimes splitting into fibres; roots very slender and without tomentum; stems 3–25 cm long and 0.5–1 mm thick, obtusely triangular to terete, smooth. Leaves from the basal 1–5 cm only, usually 4–6 per stem; blades to c. 10 cm long and 1–2 mm wide, flat or with margins inrolled, very strongly and prominently scabrid (almost serrulate) on margin; upper sheaths conspicuously whitish. Inflorescence a terminal cluster 1–3 cm in diam. consisting of 5–20 densely crowded spikelets, rarely with 1–2 additional clusters on up to 15 mm long peduncles; involucral bracts 2–5, spreading or reflexed, the largest 2–10 cm long. Spikelets 5–10 x 3–5 mm, ovate with acute or subacute tip, prominently flattened, 15–30-flowered with very densely set glumes. Glumes 3–3.5 mm long, ovate and only slightly concave, pale to reddish brown at least in patches; midrib ending at the apex in the lower glumes but excurrent into a short mucro in the upper glumes. Style with 3 long branches. Nutlet c. 1.2 mm long and wide, rounded in outline, prominently triangular in section with all 3 sides very concave, grey and minutely papillose; style base persisting as a minute reddish brown knob.