Montana Field Guide

Rhizomatous. Stems erect, terete, 10–40 cm, often tufted. Leaves basal and cauline; blades terete, 0.5–2 mm wide; auricles rounded. Inflorescence open with clusters of 3 to 6 flowers at tips and forks of erect branches; main bract smaller than the inflorescence. Flowers: prophylls absent; tepals mostly brown, 2–3 mm long; outer acute; inner rounded, slightly shorter; stamens 6. Capsules 2–3 mm long, barely exserted, rounded to the beak; seeds apiculate (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Wet mineral or organic soil of stream banks and margins of ponds, fens; plains, valleys to lower subalpine (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).