Rhizomes similar to stolons. Stolons to 6 cm, scale leaves present. Culms loosely cespitose, 10--40 cm x width3--5 mm. Leaves: sheaths reddish, throat pilose; blade sparsely pubescent; basal leaves 32 cm x 12 mm; cauline leaves 2--4, 2--4 cm x 2--5 mm. Inflorescences cymose, not rarely branching or often branching to 6 cm; proximal inflorescence bract 1/2--2/3 inflorescence length; bracts straw-colored, apex truncate, lacerate, glabrous or pubescent; bracteoles lance-ovate, 1/3--1/2 tepal length; pedicels single or paired, erect to spreading, 1--4 cm. Flowers: tepals pale to dark brown, 3--4.5 mm, margins entire, clear; anthers 2 times filament length; stigmas ± equaling style length. Capsules green to straw-colored, exceeding tepals; beak a mucro; valves widely spreading upon splitting. Seeds reddish to brown, 1--1.5 mm; caruncle curved, ± equaling length of seed body. 2n = 48.