Tufted perennial with short rhizome. Culms trigonous, stiff, smooth, 10–15 cm high, 1–1.3 mm diam. Leaves stiff, erect, U- to crescent-shaped in cross-section, thickish, often longer than culms, 1–1.7 mm wide. Inflorescence ± dense, 1.5–3 cm long including male portion 5–14 mm long; female glumes deciduous, acute, chartaceous, straw-coloured, 5.2–6.7 mm long; stamens 3; utricles trigonous, ovoid to ellipsoid, 4.5–5.5 mm long, 1.8–2.1 mm diam., gradually narrowing to base, smooth and obliquely spreading at maturity, yellow-brown, shining, shorter than glumes; rachilla produced far beyond mouth of utricle, strongly hooked at the top. Nut ellipsoid, dark brown, glistening, minutely pustulate, c. 3 mm long, c. 2 mm diam. Flowers summer.
Of the species previously placed into Uncinia species this species is characterised by its stiff, erect, tough leaves, which are U- to crescent-shaped in cross-section.
