Dense close turf usually ± 1.5 cm high; rhizomes short. Leaves setaceous. Inflorescence a small solitary light brown terminal spike, ± 4 mm long; lowest glume bract-like. Utricles smooth; rhachilla enclosed. Stigmas 3.

Shortly rhizomatous, forming a dense close turf. Culms 1–1.5–(10) cm. × < 0.5 mm., or up to 0.5 mm. diam. in taller plants, terete, shallowly grooved; basal sheaths chestnut-brown or yellow-brown. Lvs ± = or occ. much < culms, c. 0.3 mm. wide, plano-convex, setaceous, lamina involute just above wide brown sheath, margins smooth, tip obtuse. Infl. a solitary, terminal, androgynous spike of tightly clustered fls. Female fls 2–3, us. overtopping the 1–2 male fls. Lowest female glume bractiform, 4–7 mm. long, upper female glumes c. 3 mm. long, ovate, acute, brown, midrib green, margin hyaline. Utricles 2.5–3 × 1–2 mm., ovoid, subterete, very light brown to dark brown, paler towards the base, smooth, glab.; tapering to a darker beak c. 1 mm. long with a hyaline, oblique orifice; stipe minute or absent. Stigmas 3. Rhachilla, enclosed within utricle, c. 1 mm. long, 0.3 mm. diam. at the base, tapering to the truncate tip. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, obtusely trigonous.