Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 3--11 dm. Rhizomes 3--4 diam. Culms erect, terete, 3--4 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 1--2, purple, apex acute. Leaves: basal 0--1, cauline 2--3; auricles 0.5--2 mm, apex acute, membranaceous; blade terete, 0--24 cm x 0.5--1.7 mm, most distal cauline leaf blade 0--2 cm, shorter than sheath. Inflorescences panicles of (1--)3--21 heads, 1--8 cm, branches erect to spreading; primary bract erect; heads 40--60-flowered, spheric, 8--12 mm diam. Flowers: tepals straw-colored to reddish brown, lanceolate-subulate; outer tepals 2.9--4.1 mm, apex acuminate; inner tepals 2.2--3.7 mm, apex acuminate; stamens 3, anthers 1/4--1/2 filament length. Capsules exserted, , straw-colorerd, 1-locular, subulate, 2.5--4.2 mm, apex tapering to subulate beak, valves not separat ing at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle. Seeds ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.4 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown. Fruiting summer. Fresh marshes, moist hollows of sand dunes, swales, roadside ditches, and dry fertile soil; 0--100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va.