Herbs annual, cespitose, (8–)20–60 cm. Culms erect or spreading, slender, stiff. Leaves: sheaths hirsute; principal blades linear to lance-linear, 5–12 cm, hirsute-hispid-ciliate, surfaces strigose-hispid or glabrous. Inflorescences in solitary terminal clusters or several terminal clusters, less often from proximal 1–2 nodes, principal involucral bract mostly exceeding compound or cluster. Spikelets lance-ovoid to cylindric, 5–8(–12) mm, apex acute; fertile scales oblong to obovate, 2.5–3 mm; cusp excurved, nearly length of scale, scabridulous; median ribs 3, strong. Flowers: perianth bristles extending at least to base of perianth blades, often near to tips, retrorsely barbellate; perianth blades long-clawed, mostly ovate, base 3–5-ribbed, apex slenderly acuminate, incurved, awned; anthers 1–3, 0.5–0.7 mm. Achenes: stipe slender; body angles wirelike, faces lustrous, deep brown to red-brown, 1 mm; beak slender, stiff, tip papillate. 2n = 46.