General: Perennial herb from long rhizomes; stems erect, 30-60 cm tall.
Leaves: Located on the lower half of the stem, strongly flattened, compressed laterally (iris-like), with partial cross-walls that run from the edges to about 2/3 of the leaf widths; sheaths open, with or without short, ear-shaped lobes.
Flowers: Inflorescence terminal, with 1 to 10 heads, the heads globe-shaped, 5- to many-flowered; perianth segments greenish-brown to brownish-purple, 3-4 mm long, pointed, subequal; stamens 3 or 6; anthers 0.7-1 mm long, shorter than, or equal to the filaments.
Fruits: Capsules, narrowly cylindrical, rounded, blunt, about as long as the perianth segments; seeds egg-shaped, about 0.5 mm long, lacking tail-like appendages.
Notes: This is a variable species and includes two varieties that are sometimes treated as distinct species:
1. Heads 2 to 5, purplish-brown; stamens 3; blades 3-6 mm wide, sheaths lacking ear-shaped lobes........................... var. ensifolius
1. Heads 5 or more, pale brown; stamens 6; blades 2-4 mm wide, sheaths with ear-shaped lobes............................. var. montanus (Engelm.) C.L. Hitchc.
Wet, open, sandy soil in marshes, peat bogs, lakeshores and margins of creeks and rivers, from the lowland and steppe to subalpine zones; frequent in BC south of 55degreeN, infrequent N; amphiberingian, N to AK and YT, E to SK and disjunct to ON and PQ, and S to CO, AZ and CA; E Asia.
