Herbs, perennial, 5--10 dm. Rhizomes widely creeping, 2--4 mm diam. Culms terete, 1.5--2.5 mm diam. Cataphylls several. Leaves: blade absent. Inflorescences 8--30(--50)-flowered, open, 1.5--4 cm; primary bract terete, 1--2.5 dm, much longer than inflorescence. Flowers pedicellate; bracteoles broadly ovate; tepals light brown, ovate-lanceolate, 1.8--2.5 mm, apex acuminate; inner series shorter, margins scarious, apex acute; stamens 6, filaments 1--1.3 mm, anthers 0.5--0.7 mm; style 0.5 mm. Capsules reddish tan to brown, lustrous, 3-locular, widely ellipsoid, 2--3 x 1.8--2.2 mm, exceeding perianth. Seeds dark amber, obovoid, 0.7--1 mm, not tailed.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Sphagnous swamps, low woods, edges of lakes; 600--1500 m; Ala., Fla., Miss., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tenn.