Tufted perennial, very shortly rhizomatous. Culms rigid, glabrous, striate but smooth, 2–10 cm high, 0.7–1.5 mm diam. Leaf-blades ± stiff, somewhat channelled, flattened distally, mostly shorter than the culms, 0.5–2 mm wide; sheaths yellow-brown, striate, shining. Inflorescence of 1–3 loose clusters, 1–10 cm long, with 1 or 2 involucral bracts as long as or slightly exceeding inflorescence. Spikelets 2–10 per cluster, 8–12 mm long; glumes acute, keeled above, straw-coloured, the lowest 2 or 3 empty, c. half the length of the upper glumes, two larger glumes 8.5–9.5 mm long, with a setaceous or ± linear empty glume above; hypogynous bristles 7–10 mm long, pale red-brown, plumose except the tips antrorsely scabrous for 1–1.5 mm. Nut narrow-ellipsoid, minutely reticulate, glistening, pale to dark red-brown, on a short stipe c. 0.5 mm long, the body 2.5–3.5 mm long, 0.8–1.0 mm diam., with persistent style-base 3–5 mm long. Flowers summer.
HNF, VAlp. Also NSW, ACT, Tas. New Zealand, New Guinea. Occurs in and at the margins of Sphagnum bogs and wet heaths, but apparently confined to areas on the Baw Baw and Bogong Ranges.
