Plants cespitose, short-rhizomatous. Culms 30-80 cm. Leaves 3.9-8.7 mm wide, glabrous. Spikes (1-)2-4(-6), erect; lateral spikes usually pistillate; terminal spike gynecandrous; staminate portion 4-11 × 1-3.5 mm; pistillate portion oblong to elliptic, 10-43 × 10-16 mm. Pistillate scales 2.3-5.5 × 1.2-1.7 mm, apex acute, sharp or blunt, hidden by perigynia. Staminate scales 4.2-5.8 × 1.4-2 mm, apex acute, sharp or blunt. Perigynia appressed-ascending, the proximal not reflexed, 5.5-7.8 × 2-3 mm, smooth; beak 2.3-2.9 mm, often sparingly scabrous. Achenes sides often concave, 2-2.6 × 1.4-1.7 mm, 1.2-1.9 times as long as wide; style deciduous, straight. Fruiting summer. Wet woods; 0-1000 m; Ont., Que.; Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis. Carex × deamii F. J. Hermann is a sterile hybrid described as a cross between C. shortiana Dewey and C. typhina (F. J. Hermann 1938). See comments under 407. C. shortiana.