Caespitose perennial, 40-60 cm. Rhizome short, horizontal. Stem sharply trigonous, smooth or slightly scabrous above, papillose. Leaves shorter than stem; sheaths 40-100 mm, reddish brown, strongly nerved, glossy, scarious side brown-spotted, margin concave; ligule to 0.7 mm, white with brownish spots, arch higher than wide; blades 2.5-3.5 mm wide, flat, keeled, margins revolute, both sides papillose, margins and keel scabrous. Inflorescence of 3-4(-5) spikes. Bracts equalling or overtopping inflorescence, with sheath to 5 mm. Terminal spikes to 24 mm, club-shaped, gynecandrous; other spikes 15-22 x 5-6 mm, ellipsoid or cylindrical, female or gynecandrous, peduncle to 45 mm; female glumes 3.9-4.3 x 1.5-2 mm, ovate, acute, dark reddish brown, papillose; utricles 4-4.2 x c. 1.9 mm, elongate ellipsoid, yellowish or golden-brown, with reddish brown spots, glossy, papillose, beak 0.1-0.2 mm, cylindrical, truncate, dark reddish brown. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2.3 x 1.3 mm, including 0.4 mm persistent style base and a 0.1 mm stipe, widely obovoid, trigonous, light brown, reticulate with papilla in each areole.