Montana Field Guide

Densely caespitose. Stems erect, 5–15 cm with old leaf sheaths at the base. Leaves mostly basal; blades ca. 0.5 mm wide. Inflorescence a solitary bractless spike. Spike lanceolate, 5–15 mm long; male-flowered portion 2–4 mm long; female flowers below. Perigynia obovate, 3–4 mm long, green to brown, thin-edged, serrulate or ciliate on the margins with a short, entire beak; stigmas 2 or 3. Female scales brown with hyaline margins and a pale midstripe, as wide and long as the perigynia. Achene usually 3-sided, partly to nearly filling the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

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