The sandhill sword-sedge is a tufted
perennial with a short vertical
rhizome and rigid, erect, sharp-edged
culms. It grows to 20–60 cm in height and 3–7 mm in width. The
inflorescence is erect, dense, ovate to oblong, 3–15 cm long and 2–4 cm in diameter, with a shorter involucral
bract. The numerous spikelets are 5–8 mm long, with 6 to 8 bracts, covered in short fine hairs, red-brown to grey-brown. There are 6 scales at the base of stamen, whitish in colour. The smooth, pale to dark brown, ovoid nut is 2.7–4.0 mm long and 1.3–1.8 mm in diameter. It flowers in spring and summer. ==References==