General:
Perennial, loosely tufted herb from elongated, light brown, branched stolons; stems 20-70 cm tall, slender and arching, shorter than or about as long as the leaves.

Leaves:
Sheaths tight; blades numerous, borne on the lower part of the stem, 0.3-2 mm wide, flat, the lower ones reduced.

Flowers:
Spikes 3 to 5 in a long, narrow inflorescence, separated, the uppermost closer together, egg-shaped, 1- to 6-flowered, about 4-6 mm long, ascending, with both female and male flowers, the female flowers towards the tips, the male flowers inconspicuous; bracts awnlike, the lowermost 3-10 cm long.

Fruits:
Perigynia elliptical, 2.5-3.7 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, light green, plano-convex, smooth, finely-nerved, the beaks 0.4 mm long, entire; female scales egg-shaped, covering 1/2 of the perigynia, pointed, green, with green midribs; stigmas 2; achenes lens-shaped, 2 mm long, filling the perigynia.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Flower Colour:
Green

Blooming Period:
Late Spring

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present over the Summer

Source:  The USDA