Culms 20-75 cm, glabrescent. Leaves: sheaths sparsely pilose, but usually densely pilose at mouth; ligules shorter than wide; blades 1.5-4 mm wide, glabrescent, or often persistently pilose proximally. Inflorescences: lateral spikes approximate or proximal distant, 6-15 × 4-5 mm; terminal spike gynecandrous, at least 1/2 of flowers pistillate, 14-25 mm. Pistillate scales ovate, 1.9-3(-3.5) × (0.8-)0.9-1.5(-1.7) mm, shorter than to equaling perigynia, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes with awn to 0.5 mm. Staminate scales oblong-obovate, 2.7-5.3 mm, apex acuminate or short-awned. Anthers 1.5-2.2 mm. Perigynia ascending, 5-18-veined, obovate-circular, ± trigonous in cross section, 2-3.5 × 1.1-2.1 mm, not papillose, glabrous or sparsely pilose; beak absent. Achenes 1.6-2.3 × 0.9-1.5 mm. Fruiting late spring-early summer. Dry open woods, neutral to acidic soils; 0-500 m; Ala., Ark., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Iowa, La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.; Mexico.