Stems erect, 15–75 cm. Leaves: basal bladeless; cauline sheaths white, minutely red-dotted opposite the blades that are 1–3 mm wide. Inflorescence: spikes numerous, sessile, congested, ovoid, clustered on overlapping branches; lowest bract inconspicuous. Spikes 3–7 mm long, all similar; male flowers above female. Perigynia ascending, lanceolate, tan to brown, glabrous, serrulate-margined, 2.5–3 mm tapered to the ca. 1 mm long beak; stigmas 2. Female scales tan, hyaline-margined, lanceolate, barely shorter and narrower than the perigynia. Achene 2-sided, filling the perigynium (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).