General:
Perennial, somewhat tufted herb from elongate fibrous roots; stems dark green, 5-25 cm tall, longer than the leaves.

Leaves:
Sheaths tight; blades numerous, borne on the lower part of the stem, 1.5-2 mm wide, flat.

Flowers:
Spikes 3-6 in a 0.5- to 1.5-cm long, dense head, occasionally with the lowermost spike separate, egg-shaped, several-flowered, 2-3 mm long, ascending, with both female and male flowers, the female flowers towards the tips, the male flowers inconspicuous, the top spike larger than the lower ones; bracts lacking.

Fruits:
Perigynia egg-shaped, 2.5-3 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, brownish, minutely whitish-dotted, biconvex, smooth, nerved, especially above, unstalked, the beaks 0.25 mm long, smooth, not cleft; female scales egg-shaped, covering most of the perigynia, pointed, green, with green midribs; stigmas 2; achenes lens-shaped, 1.5 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

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Carex bipartita auct. non All.
Carex bipartita var. austromontana F.J. Herm.
Carex lagopina
Carex tripartita