Montana Field Guide

Caespitose. Stems erect, 20–70 cm. Leaves basal and lower-cauline; blades 3–6 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 6 short-pedunculate, erect to ascending spikes forming a loose cluster. Spikes 1–2 cm long, all similar; male flowers basal on uppermost spike, otherwise all female. Perigynia erect, coppery with green glabrous margins, elliptic to obovate, 3–4 mm long; the beak 0.3–0.5 mm long; stigmas 3. Female scales blackish, often with thin, hyaline margins, lanceolate, much 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).

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