Culms densely cespitose, stiffly erect, reddish brown, 3--26 cm. Leaves: basal leaves reddish, 2.5--7 cm x 2--5 mm, firm, apex callous, glabrous. Inflorescences pyramidal, 5--10 mm wide; glomerules 1--5, sessile, sometimes with 1--2 smaller glomerules on short peduncles; proximal inflorescence bract conspicuous, reddish, usually exceeding inflorescence, generally stiff; bracteoles clear. Flowers: tepals very dark with clear margins, 2--3 mm; outer whorl slightly exceeding inner whorl; anthers ± equaling filaments. Capsules dark brown to black in distal portion, much shorter than tepals; (beak 0.3 mm). Seeds dark brown, oval, 0.8 mm; caruncle about 0.2 mm. 2n = 20, 22.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Alpine and subalpine meadows, fell-fields; 2700--3600 m; Calif.

The culms of Luzula orestera are reddish brown and stiffly erect; basal leaves are reddish, firm, and glabrous with an overlapping arrangement.