Carex hebes

Rhizome short; shoots loosely tufted. Culms erect, trigonous to subterete, occasionally scabrous above, 4–20(–35) cm long, 0.7–1 mm diam. Leaves usually shorter than culms, 1–2.5 mm wide; sheath pale brown; ligule rounded. Inflorescence spreading, 0.5–1.2 cm long, with (2–)3–5 spikes solitary at nodes; lowest involucral bract exceeding inflorescence. Spikes sessile, contiguous, spreading at maturity, 0.5–1.1 cm long, always with female flowers above male flowers; glumes acute to obtuse, occasionally shortly mucronate, orange-brown, with usually broad white or hyaline margins; female glumes c. 3.5 mm long; utricles 3.2–4.5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm diam., ovoid to ellipsoid, weakly several-nerved, minutely hispid on slightly winged shoulders and beak, green to pale brown; beak 0.3–0.8 mm long, with apex shortly split or bifid; style 2-fid. Nut ellipsoid to obovoid, lenticular, yellow-brown. Flowers summer.