Montana Field Guide

Densely caespitose. Stems erect, 10–25 cm. Leaves basal and cauline; blades 2–4 mm wide. Inflorescence of 3 to 9 sessile spikes, densely clustered into a globose to ovoid head; lowest bract inconspicuous. Spikes 5–10 mm long, all similar; female flowers above, male below. Perigynia erect to ascending, green to shiny bronze, ovate, flattened, wing-margined, 3–4 × ca. 1.5 mm, the beak, ca. 1 mm long, serrulate below, entire above; stigmas 2. Female scales gold or coppery to shiny brown sometimes with broad, hyaline margins and a pale midstripe , as wide and shorter than the perigynia. Achene 2-sided, smaller than the perigynium (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

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