E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

General:
Perennial, loosely tufted herb; stems erect, 10-25 cm tall.

Leaves:
Located on the lower part of the stem, nearly circular in cross-section, tapered, lacking cross-walls.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1 to 3, terminal heads of 2 to 5 flowers, the flowers lacking involucral bractlets; perianth segments green or light brown with wide translucent margins, 3.5-4.5 mm long, egg-shaped, subequal, blunt; stamens 6; anthers 0.4-0.7 mm long, shorter than the filaments; bracts leaflike, usually slightly longer than the inflorescence.

Fruits:
Capsules, blunt, 1.5 times longer than the perianth segments, pale brown to straw-coloured, 5-6 mm long; seeds spindle-shaped, about 1.2-1.4 mm long, with tail-like appendages at each end.

Notes:
Plants from N America and E Asia have sometimes been separated into var. americanus. The taxonomic status of this variety is doubtful.