It was only removed entirely from the Bankai, and is still possessed in the Shikai. That being said, the description is there for describing what the zanpakuto is designed to do in battle, the way it's moves work, and extra little things that really don't have a a large enough influence on the fight to be considered a technique, yet not small enough to be totally insignificant (i.e. making it snow, allowing him to draw or store the zanpakuto or weapon created by it on his person).