Tufted perennial sedge spreading from short underground stems. Rigidly erect, deeply grooved flowering stems. Leaves reduced to basal sheaths with small blade to 1.5cm. Sheath shiny dark red-brown. Narrow erect flowerhead 5-25cm long. Dull to shiny pointed spikelets clustered at 4-7 nodes at the top of the stem, bracts woolly at least near the top, spikelet stalk zigzagged.