Perennial, 20-40 cm. Stem 1.5-2 mm diam., deeply grooved,with 10-16 strong veins, 12-15 vascular bundles in cross section. Lower closed sheaths 15-30 mm, mostly reddish brown of whole length, upper 35-80 mm, lower part mostly reddish brown, upper part green. Spike 9-17 x 3-4 mm, with closely imbricating glumes; glumes 2.5-3 mm, with narrow brown or dark brown area on both sides of midnerve. Anthers 2-2.5 mm. Nut 1.3-1.5 x 0.9-1.1 mm (without stylopodium), yellow or yellowish brown, glossy, obscurely reticulate; stylopodium c. 0.5 x 0.4 mm.

Fl. Per.: June.

Type: Pakistan, Swat, ad ripes fluvii Swat prope Mingora, 3.VI.1965. K.H. Rechinger 30668 (W!).

River shores, wet meadows, 500-2500 m; Distribution: E Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

E. palustris subsp. iranica resembles E. uniglumis e.g. in usually having rather small, ellipsoid spikes, but differs in having two sterile basal glumes, which may, however, be unequal. Resembling also E. mamillata (H. Lindb.) H. Lindb., but more rigid, perianth bristles 4-5 and stylopodium longer than wide.