The World Flora Online

Known only from several isolated localities in the Guianas and adjacent Amapa, and Vaupes, and the Pacific Coastal Region in Colombia.

Perennials, rhizomatous or caespitose; culms lateral and scapose. Leaves basal or cauline; sheaths dilated, reddish; blades with basal portion often petiole-like, otherwise linear to lanceolate, 3-5-veined, M-shaped in transverse section. Inflorescences subtended by 1-several bracts, appearing umbellate or capitate; spikes compound, turbinate to globose, each comprising a prophyll, 2 lateral staminate spikelets subtended by keeled scales, and a terminal pistillate flower enclosed in a perigynium. Stigmas 3. Fruits achene-like, trigonous, circular to obovate in outline, subtended by a vestigial cupule. Spikes borne at axils of bracts of partial inflorescences, densely spicate or nearly capitate, compound, consisting of 1 adaxial and 2 lateral glumes; the adaxial glume, prophylloid, flat and empty; lateral glumes keeled, subtending a sessile staminate spikelet with a few monandrous flowers; pistillate spikelet a sessile terminal perigynium enclosing a pistil; achene obovate, 3-sided, annulate at base with vestigial cupule; stigmas 3.Plants perennial with short ligneous rhizomes and dark purple stout roots, rarely stoloniferous; leaves radical, sometimes obscurely 2-ranked: laminas linear to lanceolate, the base often petiole-like; sheaths dilated, reddish-purple, more or less puberulent with short tubercle-based hairs culms lateral or central, scapelike; inflorescence umbellate or head-like with 1 to several oblong spikes or globose heads and 1 to few leaf-like involucral bracts. Spikes borne at axils of bracts of partial inflorescences, densely spicate or nearly capitate, compound, consisting of 1 adaxial and 2 lateral glumes; the adaxial glume, prophylloid, flat and empty; lateral glumes keeled, subtending a sessile staminate spikelet with a few monandrous flowers; pistillate spikelet a sessile terminal perigynium enclosing a pistil; achene obovate, 3-sided, annulate at base with vestigial cupule; stigmas 3.Plants perennial with short ligneous rhizomes and dark purple stout roots, rarely stoloniferous; leaves radical, sometimes obscurely 2-ranked: laminas linear to lanceolate, the base often petiole-like; sheaths dilated, reddish-purple, more or less puberulent with short tubercle-based hairs culms lateral or central, scapelike; inflorescence umbellate or head-like with 1 to several oblong spikes or globose heads and 1 to few leaf-like involucral bracts.