Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous, with stolons, lacking tubers. Culms trigonous, 10-50 cm × 1-3 mm. Leaves flat to V-shaped, 10-40 cm × 2-5 mm. Inflorescences: heads digitate, 10-40 mm diam.; rays 5-12, 1-12 cm; 2d order rays 1-3 cm; bracts 3-5, horizontal, flat to V-shaped, 1-15 cm × 1-2 mm. Spikelets (1-)2-4(-6), oblong to linear, compressed, 5-25 × 2.8-3.6 mm; floral scales 20-60, stramineous or reddish green, laterally weakly 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5-3 × 1-1.8 mm. Flowers: stamens 3; anthers 1-1.3 mm; styles 0.6 mm; stigmas 1.5 mm. Achenes reddish brown, sessile, ovoid, 0.7-0.8 × 0.4-0.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces glabrous.

Fruiting summer. Emergent shorelines; 0-100(-300) m; Ala., Fla., La., Miss., N.C., S.C.