Montana Field Guide

Caespitose. Stems erect, 3–20 cm with old leaf sheaths at the base. Leaves: basal blades absent; cauline crowded near the base; blades <1 mm wide. Inflorescence a solitary bractless spike. Spike lanceolate, 6–20 mm long; male flowered portion 2–4 mm long; female flowers below. Perigynia ascending, spreading at maturity, lanceolate, green to bronze, 2–2.5 mm long not including the distinct pedicel, tapered to an indistinct, entire beak; stigmas 3. Female scales brown to purple with hyaline margins and an indistinct midstripe, nearly concealing the perigynia at first but eventually deciduous. Achene 3-sided, nearly filling the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Moist to dry, well-drained soil of meadows, fellfields, rocky slopes; alpine, rarely lower (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).