Montana Field Guide

Rhizomatous, perennial herb. Stems terete, solitary, erect, hollow, 25–70 cm. Leaves cauline; the lower sheaths brown, bladeless; upper blades leathery, 1–12 cm × 2–8 mm. Inflorescence of axillary spikes 15–35 mm long; each composed of several spikelets. Spikelets cylindric, 10–25 mm long, of 2-ranked, overlapping, green to tan, acuminate scales 5–10 mm long. Flowers perfect, each at the base of a scale; perianth of 6 to 9 retrorsely barbed bristles 5–8 mm long; stamens 3; style 2-branched. Achene 2-sided, narrowly ellipsoid, short-stalked, 2–4 mm long (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Shallow water or saturated peat of fens; valleys, lower montane (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).