Caespitose perennial, 10-30 cm. Stem 1.5-2.5 mm diam., terete. Leaf-sheaths 40-120 mm, hard, dark brown, often reddish; blades to 20 cm, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, often curved. Inflorescence a multiple spike or small anthelodium to 13 cm diam. or globose head 30-50 mm diam., primary branches with (1-)3-6(-30) spikes; 1-3 bracts foliose, up to 50 mm; spikes 7-20 x 2.5-4 mm, with 10-30(-60) imbricating glumes; rachis c. 1 mm wide; glumes 2.6-4 mm, cymbiform, mucronate, grey-brown to reddish brown, inner side often dark reddish, sides with 3-5 nerves. Anthers 1.3-2 mm. Nut 1.6-1.7 x 1.2-1.3 mm, ellipsoid or obovoid, bi-convex to plano-convex, dark grey-brown to almost black, finely reticulate.

Fl. Per.: Jan. - April.

Type: Saudi Arabia, "In insula Gorab & circa Ghunfudain", Forrskål (C, not located).

Coastal sands; Distribution: Coastal regions from Red Sea and Somalia to Pakistan and NW India.

There are intermediates between subsp. conglomeratus and subsp. curvulus. Plants called by Bhandari (1990, see also Cooke 1908) as C. conglomeratus do not belong here on the basis of fruit size given (2.5-3 mm; see C. aucheri); according to Bhandari the flowering and fruiting time is from September to November.