Greene's rush

Herbs, perennial, tufted, to 7 dm. Rhizomes short, densely branched. Culms 1--30. Cataphylls 1--2. Leaves basal, (1--)2--3; auricles (0.2--)0.4--0.6 (--0.8) mm, scarious, rarely ± leathery; ; blade dark green, nearly terete, 5--30 cm x 0.4--0.8 mm, margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, 5--50-flowered, usually congested, 1--8 cm; primary bract usually surpassing inflorescence. Flowers: bracteoles 2; tepals dark green or darker, lanceolate, 2.5--4.2 mm; outer and inner series nearly equal, apex acute; stamens 6, filaments 0.5--0.8 mm, anthers 0.5--0.8 mm; style 0.2 mm. Capsules chestnut brown or dark brown, infrequently lighter, 3-locular, ellipsoid, (2.5--)2.9--3.5(--4) x (1.1--)1.5--1.8 mm, slightly exceeding tepals, apex somewhat truncate. Seeds dark tan, ellipsoid to lunate, 0.48--0.65--(0.7) mm, not tailed. 2n = ca. 80.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Usually dry, well-drained, sandy soil in pine lands, near lake shores, or among sand dunes and often associated with disturbance; N.B., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.; Conn., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Vt., Wis.