General:
Perennial, tufted herb from fibrous roots; stems to 1 mm wide, erect, 20-50 cm tall.

Leaves:
Located on the lower 1/3 of the stem, narrow (to 1 mm wide), flattened, lacking cross-walls; sheaths open, with short, 0.3-0.7 mm long, ear-shaped lobes.

Flowers:
Inflorescence terminal, congested, 3- to 25-flowered, 1-3 cm wide, the flowers each with 2 involucral bractlets; perianth segments tawny to blackish with brownish midribs, 3-4.5 mm long, lanceolate, pointed, the inner about the same length as the outer; stamens 6; anthers 0.3-0.6 mm long, shorter than the filaments; first bract usually much longer than the inflorescence.

Fruits:
Capsules, notched above, broadly cylindrical, rounded, shorter than the perianth segments, completely 3-celled; seeds lopsided elliptical to pear-shaped, about 0.4-0.6 mm long, lacking tail-like appendages.

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:
Brown

Blooming Period:
Late Summer

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

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Juncus exilis Osterh.