Rhizomatous. Stems erect, terete, 15–60 cm from tuberous-thickened rhizomes. Leaves basal and cauline; blades terete, septate, 1–3 mm wide; auricles rounded, 1–2 mm long. Inflorescence of 1 to 10 heads each with 25 to 100 sessile flowers, 10–15 mm across; some heads clustered; main bract terete, ascending, greater than the inflorescence. Flowers: prophylls absent; tepals green to tan, 3–4 mm long, long-acuminate; inner shorter; stamens 6. Capsules 4–6 mm long, long-tapered to the beak; seeds apiculate (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Moist to wet meadows, margins of streams, ditches, ponds, often where saline or alkaline; plains, valleys, rarely higher (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).