Luzula gigantea Desv.

Perennials 20–90 cm tall; rhizome ascending, 1.5–3.0 mm in diam.; stolons long, ascending. Basal leaves 10–30 cm long, (5–) 10–20 mm wide, flat; margin densely papillose-serrulate, ciliate in young leaves; cauline leaves usually 2–4, with upper ones usually up to 10–13 mm wide; sheaths to 6 cm long; leaf tip acute. Inflorescence a rich loose compound panicle constituting more than one third of plant height, storied and subdivided by 5–15 cm long rhachis segments into 4–5 subequal nodding anthelate parts; flowers borne singly (rarely in clusters of 2–3). Bracts of primary inflorescence branches resembling cauline leaves, with proximal ones to 20 cm long and distal ones gradually shorter; bracts on distal branches brownish-membranous, linear-lanceolate, c. 1.0–1.5 cm long. Bracteoles ovate to ovate-lanceolate, brownish-membranous, 1.6–2.0 mm long, usually entire, glabrous or sparsely ciliate, inserted 0.2–0.5 mm below flowers. Tepals ±unequal, glabrous, acuminate, usually dark castaneous brown, margins paler; outer tepals usually 2.2–2.7 mm long; inner tepals usually 2.0–2.5 mm long. Stamens 6, 1.0–1.5 mm long; anthers 0.3–0.6 mm long; filaments 0.7–0.9 mm long; style 0.2–0.3 mm long; stigmas ±patent, 0.6–0.8 mm long. Capsule broadly ellipsoidal, apiculate, shorter than perianth, castaneous, shining; capsule segments often slightly mucronate, 1.6–1.9 × c. 1.1 mm long. Seeds ±ellipsoidal, (0.9–) 1.0–1.1 × 0.5–0.6 mm; outer seed-coat white to light brown; appendage almost not visible, c. 0.1 mm long; base fibrillate.