Hall's bulrush is a graminoid with 2 to several spikelets, closely clustered, 3-15mm, at least the larger ones have more than 15 flowers. Its fruits are blackish achenes, 1.5mm, with fine, dense, conspicuous cross ridges when viewed at 10x magnification, round to top-shaped. It has few leaves, most are borne below the middle. Sheathes are bladeless and with a short, sharp point, or the upper ones with a slender blade to 10cm.