Montana Field Guide

Short-rhizomatous. Stems erect, 25–60 cm, loosely tufted. Leaves basal and cauline; blades 2–5 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 5 well-separated spikes; the lowest bract equal to or smaller than the inflorescence. Spikes ascending; the uppermost 1 or 2 male; the lower female, 1–3 cm long, short-pedunculate, cylindrical. Perigynia ascending, coppery, suborbicular to obovate, veinless, glabrous, plump, 2–3 mm long with a tiny beak. Female scales acute to acuminate, dark brown with a pale midstripe and margins, longer but narrower than the perigynia. Achene 2-sided, partly filling the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Marshes, wet meadows, shores of ponds, lakes, streams; valleys, montane (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).