Elyna schoenoides C.A. Mey., Verz. Pfl. Cauc.: 29. 1831. K. deasyi C.B. Clarke in Kew Bull. Misc. Inform., Add. Ser. 8: 68. 1908. K. pamiroalaica Ivanova in Bot. Zhurn. 24: 481. 1939. K. septatonodosa T. Koyama in Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 16: 168. 1956. C.B. Clarke, Ill. Cyper.: tab. 142, figs. 9-11. 1909.

Caespitose, rather robust perennials, 15-47 cm. Roots brown, tomentose. Stem 1-2 mm diam., terete or obtusely trigonous, distinctly nerved, smooth, yellowish green. Leaves ½-2/3 of stem length; sheaths 25-60 mm, blade-less, stiff, persistent, yellow brown, glossy, mouth margin slightly oblique; ligule c. 0.4 mm, arch of attachment to as high as wide; blades up to 3 mm wide, involute, upright, rather stiff, thick, margins finely scabrous, apex long-attenuate, acute, scabrous. Inflorescence 15-25 x 6-8 mm, ellipsoid, sometimes nearly globose, reminiscent of a spike, but composed of more than 10, short, imbricate branches with one or occasionally several basal pistillate flowers, and 3-10 staminate flowers above, apex with 10-15 staminate flowers; bracts glume-like, 3.2-5.6 mm, mid-nerve short, smooth, margins narrowly scarious; lowest bract sometimes leaflike, almost sheath-less, to c. half of inflorescence length; partial inflorescences 5-8 x c. 2.5 mm, with glume-like, 2-keeled utricle (occasionally 2-3), 4.3-5.8 mm, wide, sheathing, but open to or almost to base, apical part dark brown, narrowly scarious, apex obtuse or shallowly bidentate; stigmas (2-)3; rachilla with 3-10 male glumes, 4-5 mm, dark brown, often folded, obtuse; stamens (2-)3. Nut 2.3-3.5 x 1.2-1.4 mm, incl. 0.2-0.3 mm style base and 0.5-0.6 mm distinct stipe, obovoid, trigonous, plano-convex, mucronate, grey brown, glossy, finely reticulate.

Fl. Per.: June - August.

Type: Caucasus, ”In alpe Schachdagh”, 30.7.1830, C.A. Meyer (LE).

Meadows on mountain slopes above treeline, 3800-4600 m; Distribution: From Caucasus to NW Iran, from Central Afghanistan and Pakistan N and NE to Kirghizstan and Tibet, along Himalayas east to Sikkim.