Perennial, loosely tufted, green, 5-10 (-15) cm tall, with short rootstock and thin, erect stems devoid of cauline leaves. Basal leaves c. half as long as the stem, less than 1 mm broad, with basal sheaths obtusely auricled, usually somewhat reddish, lowest ones bladeless. Terminal flowering head 2-3(-5)-flowered, usually exceeding the lowest, dark-brown bract; bracts subequal, broadly lanceolate. Flowers 4-5 mm long; perianth segments ± equal, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, light reddish-brown. Stamens 6, c. as long as the perianth; anthers less than 1 mm long. Capsules 5-7.5 mm long, ovate-oblong to ellipsoid, trigonous, shortly beaked, dark-brown; seeds many, mostly c. 2 mm long, including white tails at both the ends.

Fl.Per.: July-August.

Type: Described from the alpine zone of Lapland. Herb .Linn.no.449.35 (LINN).

Distribution: Europe, N. & C. Asia, mostly in Arctic and Alpine zones; also in the Himalayas and N. America.

A rare or under-collected species in our area, confined to the wet rock-ledges of the Karakorum.