Culms (3–)10–20 cm. Leaves: blades 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Pistillate scales brown, with hyaline margins, lanceolate, 2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm, as wide and as long as or slightly shorter than and enclosing perigynia. Perigynia finely veined, at least in proximal 1/2, 3–3.8 mm; beak teeth firm or flexible. 2n = 52.

Fruiting Jun–Aug. Dry grasslands, dry bluffs, dry sandy flood plains; 10–1400 m; Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Ont., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Colo., Minn., Mont., N.Mex., N.Dak., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo.; Eurasia.