Plants perennial, not cespitose, long-creeping rhizomatous. Culms 10-35(-50) cm, smooth. Leaves flat, 10-30 cm × 1-3.5 mm. Inflorescences: spike 1, ovoid, 7-12 × 6-10 mm; bracts 3-4, horizontal to slightly reflexed, flat, 2-20(-30) cm × 1-3 mm. Spikelets 40-80, pale greenish or reddish brown, ovate, 3.5-4.5 × 1.2-1.3(-1.4) mm; floral scales laterally 2(-5)-veined, elliptic, 1.8-3.2 × 1-1.6 mm, apex mucronate; stamens 2-3; anthers 0.8-1.1 mm; style 1.8-2.2 mm; stigmas 0.5-1 mm. Achenes brown, sessile or stipitate, broadly ellipsoid, 1.5-1.8 × 0.8-1 mm, stipe, if present, to 0.1 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, puncticulate.

Fruiting summer. Muddy banks of streams and estuaries; 0-1000 m; introduced; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Ga., Ky., Md., Miss., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Pa., Tenn., Va.; temperate e Asia.

Perennial 1-3 dm with long rhizomes; lvs ±basally disposed, the lower sheaths bladeless, the upper with blades 2-4 mm wide; bracts 3, one erect, 2 spreading; spike solitary, sessile, round-ovoid, 5-10 mm; spikelets very numerous, 3.5-4.5 mm, 1-fld; scales pale, acuminate, with a smooth keel; stamens 2-3; anthers 0.6-0.8 mm; achenes lenticular, obovate, 1.5-1.8 mm. Wet ground; native of e. Asia, casually intr. from Conn. to Ga., Ala. and Tenn. (C. brevifolius, misapplied; Kyllinga brevifolioides)

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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