Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 2.6--6.5 dm. Rhizomes 1.5--3.5 mm diam. Culms erect, 1.5--3 mm diam. Cataphylls 2, chestnut brown, apex acute. Leaves: basal 2, cauline 1--2, light green; auricles absent; blade 2.5--20.5 cm × 2--3 mm. Inflorescences panicles of 10--50 heads, 4--10 cm, ascending to erect branches; primary bract erect; heads 3--22-flowered, obovoid to hemispheric, 5--11 mm diam. Flowers: tepals dark brown to purplish brown, lanceolate, 3--4 mm, nearly equal; outer tepals acuminate, mucro subulate; inner tepals acuminate or cuspidate, mucro subulate; stamens 6, anthers 2.5--3 times filament length. Capsules included, chestnut brown, 1-locular, oblong, 2.3--3.2 xx--xx mm (including beak), apex acuminate proximal to beak, beak slightly exserted. Seeds obovoid, 0.5--0.6 mm, not tailed.

Fruiting summer. Wet places, montane conifer forests; 1700--2900 m; Calif.