Montana Field Guide

Densely caespitose. Stems erect, 3–12 cm with old leaf sheaths at the base. Leaves basal and lower-cauline; blades ca. 0.5 mm wide. Inflorescence a solitary bractless spike. Spike narrow, 8–18 mm long; male flowered portion usually >5 mm long; female flowers below male. Perigynia obovoid, 2.5–4 mm long, brown, with an entire beak 0.5 or more mm long and sometimes a few hairs above; stigmas 3. Female scales brown with hyaline margins, mostly larger than the perigynia. Achene 3-sided, filling the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Fellfields, dry turf; alpine (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).