Herbs, perennial, cespitose, generally light green to yellowish green when dry, to 4.8 dm, not glaucous. Stems branched, with 1 node, 1.4–2.3 mm wide, glabrous, margins usually minutely denticulate, similar in color and texture to stem body; internode with 1–2 branches, 22–42 cm, usually longer than leaves. Leaf blades glabrous, bases not persistent in fibrous tufts. Inflorescences borne singly; spathes usually with purplish tinge on margins, obviously wider than supporting branch, glabrous, keels entire to occasionally denticulate; outer 16–22.8 mm, 0.2 mm shorter to 4 mm longer than inner, tapering evenly towards apex, margins basally connate 4.2–6.9 mm; inner with keel usually straight, hyaline margins 0.1–0.3 mm, apex acute, occasionally obtuse, sometimes separated as 2 lobes, ending 0–0.4 mm proximal to green apex. Flowers: tepals pale to deep bluish violet, bases yellow; outer tepals 9–19.5 mm, apex rounded or truncate, aristate; filaments connate ± entirely, usually stipitate-glandular basally; ovary similar in color to foliage. Capsules tan to nearly white, occasionally light brown, sometimes with purplish apex, ± globose to ± turbinate, 3.5–4.9 mm; pedicel erect or ascending. Seeds globose to obconic, lacking obvious depression, 0.9–1.2 mm, rugulose or granular.

Flowering early--mid summer. Moist meadows, stream banks, edges of open woods, mostly on sandy soil; 150--200 m; Mich., Wis.