Japan Flora: Densely tufted, forming large clumps; culms many, 30-50 cm. long, slender but rather firm, slightly scabrous; leaf-blades rather stiff, 2-3 mm. wide, the basal sheaths castaneous, entire and scarcely fibrous, rigid; spikes nearly always 3, approximate, erect, the terminal staminate, linear, brown, lustrous, 2-3 cm. long, the lateral pistillate, oblong-cylindric, 1.5-2 cm. long, the lowest one often separate from the others, the bracts with a short leaflike or setaceous blade, sheathing at base, the peduncles scarcely exserted from the sheath; pistillate scales obovate, brown or brownish, rounded at the apex; perigynia ovate-oblong, 3 mm. long, nerved, pubescent, abruptly short-beaked, the tip mi­nutely 2-toothed; stigmas 3；Apr.-May. Common in open woods. 

Honshu (centr. distr. westw. to Iwami Prov.).

var. cuneata (Ohwi) Ohwi & T. Koyama. Plant more loosely tufted, with short ascending rhizomes; culms 15-40 cm. long; leaf-blades flat, 25-4 mm. wide, the basal sheaths dark brown; spikes 4 or 5, all or the lower ones dhtant, the terminal stami- nate, 15-2 cm. long, the others pistillate, 1-2 cm. long, the bracts short; pistillate scales often mucronate; perigynia as in the typical phase.  Apr.-June. Thickets and thin woods; Honshu (Tohoku, n. Kanto and Echigo Distr.).

var. ikegamii T. Koyama. Intermediate between var. cuneata and the typical phase; rhi­zomes densely tufted in large clumps; leaves broader, softer; spikes usually 3, the lower ones distant.  Japan Sea side of centr. Honshu.