Plants perennial, cespitose, to 100 cm; rhizomes absent. Culms arching, slender, leafy. Leaves exceeded by culm; blades elongate linear, proximally flat, 2–3 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, clusters 2–3, loosely turbinate, clusters, capillary pedun-culate; distal foliaceous bracts mostly exceeded by inflorescences. Spikelets few per cluster, brown, broadly ovoid, 4 mm, apex acuminate; fertile scales oblong ovate, 3 mm, midrib forming small awn. Flowers: perianth bristles 6, exceeding tubercle tip, antrorsely barbellate. Fruits mostly 2 per spikelet, 3 mm; body pale yellow brown, pyriform-obovoid, lenticular, 2 × 1.4 mm; surfaces transversely wavy rugulose, vertically striate alveolate between ridges; tubercle subulate triangular, 1 mm.

Fruiting summer–fall. Marshes, bogs, seeps; of conservation concern; 500–1000 m; Calif.