Juniper sedge

Culms 2–6.5(–9.1) cm, tallest ones 3.2–9.1 cm. Leaves: basal sheaths reddish brown; blades green, eceeding culms, 2–4(–5) mm wide, coriaceous, margins green, scabrous. Lateral spikes 1–3, basal, on erect to spreading peduncles. Terminal spikes with staminate portion (5–)7–15(–21)-flowered, 3–8 × 0.6–1.2 mm; pistillate portion (2–)4–9-flowered. Pistillate scales green, margins 1.2–3 mm wide, not more than 1.5 times as wide as and not concealing perigynia, apex long-acute; distal scales with hyaline margins to 0.3 mm wide, apex acute, awnless. Staminate scales green, tinged brown or reddish brown, ovate to oblong, 0.8–1.5 × 0.8–1.2 mm, margins connate for most of their length, enfolding scales above, hyaline, white, apex truncate to obtuse (sometimes mucronate), erose. Anthers 1–1.5 mm. Perigynia green, sometimes flecked with reddish brown, obovoid to ellipsoid, 3.8–5.1 × 1.5–2 mm, tightly enveloping achenes, apex abruptly tapering; beak (1.2–)1.4–2.1 mm, scabrous. Stigmas filiform, flexuous, long, slender, strongly papillose. Achenes dark brown, globose to ellipsoid, 1.9–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

Fruiting spring–summer (early May–late Jun). Open, vernally moist, red juniper-oak glades, alvars, prairie openings, on clay soils derived from crumbling limestone; of conservation concern; 100–300 m; Ont.; Ky., Ohio, Va.