Plants loosely cespitose in small clumps. Culms (35-)45-95(-110) cm; vegetative culms inconspicuous. Leaves: sheaths sometimes abaxially green and white mottled near to collar, adaxially green-veined near collar, Y-shaped, white-hyaline area at collar, adaxially firm, summits U-shaped; distal ligules 2-5.5 mm; blades on fertile culms 3-5, 1.5-24 cm × 1.8-4 mm. Inflorescences open or dense, usually nodding or arching, yellowish brown, 2.3-8.4 cm × 6-17 mm; proximal internode 2.3-16 mm; 2d internode 6-15 mm; proximal bracts bristlelike to 3 cm. Spikes (3-)5-8(-9), distant, distinct, conic to globose, 8-19 × 4.2-8.2 mm, base often strongly clavate, apex acute to rounded; staminate portion of well-developed spikes to 11 mm. Pistillate scales yellowish brown to reddish brown with green midstripe, lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 3-4 mm, shorter and narrower than perigynia, margins white-hyaline, apex acute to obtuse. Perigynia appressed, pale yellow or golden brown with green wing and beak, conspicuously 4-6-veined abaxially, conspicuously 4-6(-7)-veined adaxially, obovate to broadly elliptic, biconvex, 3-4.7 × 1.9-2.8 mm, 0.4-0.5 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.5-0.9 mm wide; beak greenish at tip, flat, ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture with white or reddish brown-hyaline margin, distance from beak tip to achene 1.8-2.7 mm. Achenes elliptic, 1.4-2 × 0.9-1.2 mm, 0.4-0.5 mm thick, 48b apiculum 0.4-0.8 mm; style straight or slightly sinuous. 2n = 62.

Fruiting early summer. Seepy stream banks, permanently wet ditches, pond shores, wet depressions in meadows and pastures; 100-400 m; Ark., La., Okla., Tex.

See note under 146. Carex longii.