Culms densely tufted, erect, ascending, rarely decumbent, 28-61 cm × 0.7-1.2 mm. Leaves: basal sheaths pale brown; sheaths 0.8-32 mm; blades erect or ascending, glaucous, midrib well developed especially abaxially, 2 lateral veins developed adaxially, flat, 28-59 cm × 5-10 mm, dead leaves lateral to new clumps, blades of overwintered leaves densely papillose abaxially. Inflorescences: longer peduncles of proximal lateral spikes 1.4-14 times as long as spikes they subtend; peduncles of terminal spike 0.4-11 cm. Bracts 0.2-1 cm × 2-4.5 mm, longest bract blade 5-8 cm; bract blades of distal lateral spikes linear, narrower than spikes, widest bract blade of distalmost lateral spike 0.5-3.4 mm wide. Spikes 4(-5) per culm; lateral spikes 14-45 × 2.2-4.5 mm, distal lateral spikes separate; terminal spike linear, 12-40 × 2-3.5 mm. Pistillate scales 3-9 × 1.4-2.1 mm, apex aristate, rarely acute, awn 1-5 mm, serrulate. Staminate scales 7-11 × 1.2-2 mm, margins hyaline. Anthers 3.2-3.8 mm. Perigynia 3-10 per spike, loosely overlapping, ratio of longer lateral spike length to pergynia number 1.9-3.4, ascending, finely, conspicuously (22-)25-32-veined, obovate, 3.1-4.5 × 1.8-2.3 mm; beak slightly recurved, 0.9-1.5 mm. Achenes obovoid, 1.2-2.8 × 0.9-1.4 mm. 2n = 46.

Fruiting spring. Moist, deciduous forests, moist calcareous soils; of conservation concern; 300-600 m; N.C., S.C.