General:
Annual or perennial, tufted herb; stems slender, circular in cross-section, tapered, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, 3-30 cm tall.

Leaves:
One to few near the bases, variously developed in different plants, sometimes with normal sheaths and blades; blades elongate, slender, up to as long as the stem, sometimes the lower ones reduced to scales, the uppermost ones with sheaths and very short blades.

Flowers:
Spikes 1 to 4 (10), egg-shaped, 2-5 mm long, in unstalked, simple or compound clusters, appearing on the side of the stems; involucral bracts solitary, appearing as extensions of the stems, up to 2 cm long, surpassing the inflorescence.

Fruits:
Scales purplish-brown, egg-shaped to broadly elliptical, smooth, 1.3-2.1 mm long, 0.6-1.2 mm wide, the midribs green, blunt, with abruptly sharp-pointed tips; perianth bristles lacking; achenes 3-angled with convex faces and round angles, brown or black, shiny, prominently longitudinally ribbed and finely cross-wrinkled, 0.5-1.2 mm long.

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:
Schoenoplectus setaceus (L.) Palla
Scirpus setaceus L.