Montana Field Guide

Short-rhizomatous. Stems erect, 15–60 cm tufted. Leaves: basal leaves bladeless; cauline blades 1–3 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 5, well separated spikes; lowest bract ca. as long as the inflorescence. Spikes: uppermost male, 7–25 mm long; lower female, pedunculate, ovoid to cylindric, ascending to arching, 1–3 cm long. Perigynia ascending, purplish-brown, glabrous, flattened, narrowly ovate, 4–5 × 1.5–2 mm with a beak 0.5–1 mm long; stigmas 3. Female scales lanceolate, acute, mostly solid purplish-black, as long but narrower than the perigynia. Achene 3-sided, much smaller than the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Wet meadows, rock ledges, especially near streams; subalpine, lower alpine (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).