Herbs, annual, cespitose with fibrous roots. Culms trigonous, (2-)6-15(-35) cm × (0.3-)1-1.8 mm, glabrous. Leaves 1-5, flat to V-shaped, (1-)5-15(-22) cm × (0.5-)1.5-3 mm. Inflorescences: spikes ± digitate, ± globose, 7-40 × 10-20 mm; rays (0-)1-6, 2-12 cm; if absent, inflorescence a sessile cluster of (1-)3-10 spikelets; rachis 2-5 mm; bracts (1-)4-5(-6), ascending, V-shaped, 1-15(-20) cm × 0.5-3.5 mm; rachilla persistent, wingless. Spikelets (1-)3-12(-16), greenish white, linear to linear-lanceoloid, compressed-quadrangular, 6-34(-40) × 2-3(-3.6) mm; floral scales deciduous, (8-)16-36(-42), spreading, laterally whitish, greenish, or pale brownish, medially green, weakly 7-9-ribbed, laterally weakly 1-2-ribbed, most ribs medial, ovate, (2.4-)2.6-3 × (1.9-)2-2.4(-2.5) mm, apex acute to ± acute, cuspidate tip (0.3-)0.5-0.7(-0.8) mm. Flowers: anthers 0.6-0.7 mm; styles 0.9-1.3 mm; stigmas 0.5-0.8 mm. Achenes brown, stipitate to sessile, obovoid, (1-)1.2-1.4(-1.5) × 0.9-1(-1.1) mm, apex obtuse to emarginate, surfaces very finely puncticulate. Fruiting summer-early fall. Various disturbed soils; 0-900 m; Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tex., Va.; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa.