Stiffly erect perennial, (20-) 30-60 (-90) cm tall, caespitose or tufted, grey-green, with creeping, somewhat woody rootstock; stem 1-1.5 mm thick above, with interrupted pith. Leaves basal only; sheaths glossy brownish to blackish, broad, blade-less to with blade, 4-10 (-15) cm long, pale, obtuse to acute. Inflorescence seemingly lateral. 2.5-10 cm long, paniculate, with unequal, often forking branches, nodding; lower bract erect, abbreviated to much elongated, looking like the extension of culm, sharply pointed. Flowers (2.5-) 3-4 mm long, greenish; perianth segments lanceolate. subulate pointed, apices unequal, inner shorter. Stamens 6, included; anthers c. as long as the filaments. Capsules ovoid-acuminate, shortly beaked, shining brown, equalling to slightly exceeding the perianth, many-seeded; seeds c. 0.5 mm long, ovoid, brownish hardly appendaged.