Herbs, perennial, 5--10 dm. Rhizomes thick. Culms closely set along rhizomes, 2--3.5 mm diam. Cataphylls 3--5. Leaves basal, 2--4; auricles absent; blade terete, 40--60 cm x 1--2 mm. Inflorescences glomerules, to 100, each with 2--4 flowers, congested to open, 5--19 x 2--5 cm; primary bracts somewhat inflated, usually surpassing inflorescence. Flowers: tepals straw-colored; outer series 2.8--2.9 mm, apex acute; inner series elliptic, 2.3--2.5 mm, apex obtuse; stamens 6, 1.4--1.9 mm, anthers 2 times length of filaments; style 1--1.2 mm. Capsules straw-colored, 3-locular, ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.5--3.5 x 1.2--  1.5 mm, nearly equal to slightly exceeding perianth. Seeds brown, ellipsoid, body 0.6--0.7 mm, tails 0.5--1.2 mm. 2n = 40, 48.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Coastal salt marshes, saline meadows, and sand dunes; introduced; N.Y.; Europe; Asia; Africa.

It is believed that this species has not been collected in North America since the late 1800s, when it was known to occur on Long Island, New York.