General:
Perennial herb from inconspicuous, slender rhizomes, forming dense mats; stems thread-like, erect to ascending, 2-6 (10) cm tall.

Leaves:
Sheaths pale, sometimes purplish below; blades lacking.

Flowers:
Spikes solitary, terminal, 2-4.5 (6) mm long, 2- to 9- (20-) flowered, egg-shaped.

Fruits:
Scales 1.5-2 (2.5) mm long, the lowest one empty, not subtending the flowers, egg-shaped, blunt or sharp-pointed, green to straw-coloured or brown; perianth bristles 3 to 5, equalling or surpassing the achenes, rarely reduced or lacking; stigmas 3; achenes egg-shaped, more or less 3-angled, straw-coloured, smooth and shining, 0.9-1.3 mm long including the short, inconspicuous tubercles, which are 0.15-0.3 mm long, nosecone-like and not forming apical caps on the achenes.

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:
Mid Summer

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Chaetocyperus membranacea Buckl.
Eleocharis leptos (Steud.) Svens.
Eleocharis leptos var. coloradoensis (Britt.) Svens.
Eleocharis leptos var. johnstonii Svens.
Eleocharis membranacea (Buckl.) Gilly
Eleocharis parvula var. anachaeta (Britton) Svens.
Eleocharis parvula var. coloradoensis (Britton) Beetle
Eleocharis parvula var. parvula
Scirpus nanus Spreng.
Scirpus nanus var. anachaetus (Torr.) Britt.