Plants with short, stout rhizomes. Culms 20–80 cm, 1–1.6 mm wide basally, 0.5–0.8 mm wide distally. Leaves: sheaths tight, green, fronts hyaline; ligules less than 2 mm, wider than long; widest leaf blades 1.5–2.5 mm wide, papillose adaxially. Inflorescences with 3–10 spikes, 1.5–5 cm × 5–8 mm; proximal internodes slightly shorter than to 2 times as long as proximal spikes; proximal bracts 1–5 cm; spikes with to 10 erect perigynia. Pistillate scales brown with green midvein, ovate, 3.3–5.2 × 2–2.8 mm, body as long as and wider than perigynium, apex awned, awn less than 1 mm. Anthers 1.9–2.4 mm. Perigynia pale green to pale brown, veinless or veined, 3.5–5 × 1.5–2 mm, base slightly spongy, thickened, margins serrulate distally; beak 1–3 mm, apical teeth 0.3–0.6 mm. Styles straight, 0.05 mm wide. Achenes elliptic-circular, 2–2.4 × 1.4–1.7 mm.

Fruiting late spring–early summer. Grasslands, forest openings; 30–1200 m; B.C.; Calif., Oreg., Wash.