Loosely tufted perennial, 5-45 cm. Rhizome yellowish, scales dark brown or black. Stem 0.5-2 mm diam., soft, greyish green; the basal internodes, when in water, often elongated, ascending and rooting at the nodes. Leaves smaller or equalling stem; sheaths up to c. 50 mm, from yellowish to dark brown, soft, mouth margin concave or nearly straight; ligule 0.4-0.5 mm, arch lower than wide, almost straight; blades grey green, margins inrolled, apex long-attenuate, trigonous, scabrous. Lowest bract upright, up to 65 mm, longer or shorter than inflorescence, other glume-like, often fertile; prophylls glume-like, 3.6-5.7 mm, bi-nerved, obtuse, usually fertile. Inflorescence 10-35 x 5-12 mm, of 5-12 spikes; spikes 5-8 mm, ovoid or fusiform; glumes ovate, sides obscurely nerved, light brown or brown, glossy. Perianth bristles brown; stamens 2-3, towards spike apex often reduced, connective tip long, barbed. Nut ovoid or ellipsoid, finely reticulate, grey brown, with stipe 0.2-0.4 mm and with long-persistent, brown style.

Type: "Anglia, Helvetia, Italia".

Distribution: NW Africa, from C Europe east through southern Siberia to Mongolia, Central Asian Mts., China, in the South from Turkey and Lebanon to Nepal.