Perennial, 20-35 cm. Stolons numerous, c. 2 mm diam., greyish or brown, with prominently nerved scales, longer than internodes. Stem 1-1.5 mm diam., from rather sharply to obtusely trigonous, greyish green, smooth, stem base bulbous. Leaves shorter than or sometimes equalling the stem; sheaths 2-5 cm, brown, grey or green, lowest blade-less, strongly nerved and disintegrating into fibres with age, one side scarious, mouth margin slightly concave or straight; blades up to 4 mm wide, keeled, often folded and falcate, long attenuate, margin narrowly incurved or inrolled, slightly scabrous, apex trigonous, smooth or slightly scabrous. Inflorescence a small anthelodium, 20-50 mm, almost as wide as long; bracts, 2-3 leaf-like, mostly 1-2 longer than inflorescence; primary branches 3-6, to 30 mm; clusters of spikes 7-15 x 10-25 mm, formed by 4-10 spikes on short axis, often nearly digitately; spikes 4-15 x 1.5-3 mm, compressed or almost terete, with 5-24 glumes; glume-like bract c. 2.5 mm, narrow, triangular, acute; glume-like prophyll three-nerved, scarious, rounded; rachis c. 1 mm wide, flat, winged, with spongy bases; glumes 2.5-3 mm, cymbiform, with rounded backs, rather obscurely nerved, greyish brown (caused by small reddish-brown dots), margins narrowly scarious. Nut 1.2-1.5 x 0.8-1 mm, obovoid, bi-convex or obscurely trigonous, brown, surface almost smooth, glossy.

Fl. Per.: July - November.

Type: India, Tamil Nadu, "E Tranquebaria misit Honor. König." (LD!). Sind, Pinwill (K).

Coastal sands; Distribution: Madagascar, Mauritius, Pakistan, from India to China and NE Australia.

Description based primarily on the Pinwill specimen.