Plants not cespitose, long-rhizomatous. Culms 5–40 cm. Leaves flat, straight, 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Spike pistillate, or staminate, or, rarely, androgynous. Pistillate scales shorter than to equaling the perigynia, beak and distalmost body of perigynia exposed, apex obtuse to cuspitate. Perigynia 3–4 mm, distal margins smooth; beak tip dark.

Fruiting Jun–Aug. Bogs, wet meadows; 10–1000 m; B.C., Yukon; Alaska, Wash.; Eurasia [Russian Far East (Chukotka)].