General: Perennial tufted herb from short rhizomes; stems wiry, erect, 15-40 cm tall.
Leaves: Reduced to sheaths with short awns at the base of the stem, or the uppermost of the basal sheaths with blades less than 1 cm long.
Flowers: Inflorescence a loose head with 1 to 4, nearly terminal flowers, appearing as if it is on the side of the stem; perianth segments green to brown, pointed, 5-7 mm long, the inner ones slightly shorter; stamens 6; anthers about 1.5 mm long, shorter than the filaments; involucral bract 1-3 cm long, cylindrical, resembling a continuation of the stem.
Fruits: Capsules, cylindrical, notched, longer than the perianth segments; seeds spindle-shaped, 0.5 mm long with long, tail-like appendages at each end of the seed.
Notes: Two varieties occur in W North America. Our BC material has been identified as var. drummondii but var. subtriflorus can be expected in S BC.
1. Capsules usually at least 1 mm longer than the perianth segments; perianth 5-6 mm long.................. var. subtriflorus (E. Mey.) C.L. Hitchc.
1. Capsules about equal to the perianth segments; perianth 6-7 mm long..................var. drummondii
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range. (Updated August, 2013)
Mesic to moist rocky slopes, heaths, snowbed sites, streambanks, open forests and meadows in the subalpine and alpine zones; common throughout BC; N to YT and NT, E to AB and S to NM and NV.
