Culms 15-40 cm. Proximal leaf blades 20-80 cm × 4-8 mm, smooth, glaucous and finely papillose abaxially, green and scabrid adaxially. Inflorescences with staminate and pistillate flowers on same plant; spikes 3-8; lateral spikes pistillate, often with a few staminate flowers at apex, 1-5 basal, 1-2 distal spikes, 15-45 × 4-6 mm; terminal spikes staminate, usually with a few pistillate flowers at base, 10-40 × 2.5-4 mm. Pistillate scales obovate, 4-5.5 × 2-3.5 mm, rounded or emarginate, apex mucronate to awned. Staminate scales oblanceolate to obovate, 4-6 × 1.9-2.6 mm, apex obtuse and mucronate. Perigynia 4-5 × 1-1.5 mm, yellow-green, apex rounded; beak brown, 0.3-0.5 mm.

Fruiting spring. Forests; of conservation concern; 0-100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss.