Montana Field Guide

Densely caespitose, to 45 cm tall, rhizomes if present then short. Blades 1-3 mm wide, basal and on lower culm. Lowest bract lacking or shorter to slightly longer than the inflorescence. Inflorescence 1.5-2.5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, headlike, usually much overtopping the leaves. Spikes 3-9, gynaecandrous, 7-15 mm long, 5-7 mmwide, ovate to nearly globose, sessile, each with up to 30 perigynia. Pistillate scales shorter than or subequal to teh perigynia and a little narrower, brownish with a green midstripe and hyaline margines, acute. Perigynia 4-5.6 mm long, 1.6-2.5 mm wide, ovate-elliptic, greenish or light brown, finely serrulate in the distal half and sometimes below, gradually or rather abruptly tapered to a bi-dentate, more or less flattened beak. Stigmas 2; achenes lenticular (adapted from: Welsh et al., 1993, A Utah Flora, 2nd ed.).

Sagebrush, meadows, and spruce communities (Welsh et al., 1993, A Utah Flora, 2nd ed.).