Montana Field Guide

Caespitose. Stems erect, 14–25 cm. Leaves basal and lower-cauline, some greater than the inflorescence; blades 1–5 mm wide, yellowish. Inflorescence of 1 to 4 well-separated spikes; lowest bract greater than the inflorescence. Spikes bisexual, similar, erect to ascending, pedunculate, 5–10 mm long not including the basal female scales; male flowers above, few, inconspicuous. Perigynia 2 to 5, ascending, green, obovoid, glabrous, loosely aggregated, 5–6 mm long, tapered to the smooth 2–3 mm long beak; stigmas 3. Female scales green, elongate and bract-like below, ovate, shorter above. Achene 3-sided, filling the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Grasslands, thickets; valleys, montane (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).