Montana Field Guide

Densely caespitose. Stems erect, 8–25 cm. Leaves basal and lower-cauline; blades 1–3 mm wide. Inflorescence of 4 to 7 sessile spikes, densely clustered into a globose to ovoid head; lowest bract inconspicuous. Spikes 6–10 mm long, all similar; female flowers above male. Perigynia ascending, brown, green-edged, ovate, flattened, serrulate, wing-margined, 4.5–6 × 2–3 mm, the beak, 1.5–2.5 mm long, serrulate below, entire above; stigmas 2. Female scales brown sometimes with a pale midstripe, exposing the tip of the perigynia. Achene 2-sided, much smaller than the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Moist to wet, often stony soil of meadows, turf, often where snow lies late; subalpine, alpine (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).