Scirpus quinqueflorus F.X. Hartmann, Primae lin. Inst. Bot. Crantzii, ed. 2: 85. 1767; E. pauciflora (Lightf.) Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 284. 1827; Scirpus pauciflorus Lightf., Fl. Scot. 2: 1087. 1777. E.meridionalis Zinserl., in Fl. URSS 3: 580. 1935. E. quinqueflora (F.X. Hartm.) O.Schwarz var. meridionalis (Zinserl.) Raymond in Koeie & Rechinger in Dan. Biol. Skr. 14: 11. 1965. E. obscura T. Koyama in Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 17: 102. 1958; Strandhede & Dahlgren in Bot. Not. 121: 309. 1968.

Tufted perennial, 4-30 cm. Rhizome short, emitting stolons, to 10 cm, e.g. 0.5 mm diam., ending in a bulbil. Stem 0.2-0.7 mm diam., green, with 5-6 obtuse angles or almost terete. Open sheaths e.g. 7 mm, loosely surrounding basal parts of tuft, lower closed sheath e.g. 10 mm, yellow or often brownish or reddish brown, upper to 30 mm, yellow or green, mouth oblique; blades 0 or minute tip. Spike 4-7 x 2-4 mm, in flower c. 1.3 mm wide, fusiform or later almost globose, with 5-8 glumes; basal glume fertile or sterile, 3-4.5 mm, clasping, cymbiform, obtuse, brown or reddish brown, with scarious margins; glumes 3.5-4.5 mm, cymbiform, almost acute, mid-nerve brown, sides yellow or brown, nerves obscure, often with narrow, scarious margin. Perianth bristles 3-7, unequal, equal to or slightly longer than nut, colourless or yellowish; stamens 3, anthers c. 1.7 mm; stigmas 3. Nut 1.4-2 x c. 1.2 mm (excl. stylopodium), obovoid, trigonous, almost plano-convex, whitish or grey- or yellow-brown, reticulate; stylopodium c. 0.5 mm, trigonous, greenish, distinctly conical when fresh, not clearly constricted from nut and confluent with brown or almost black style when dry.

Fl. Per.: May - July.

Type: "In Helvetia, et circa Bernam".

In marshlands, wet meadows by rivulets and along lake shores, 1600-3200 m; Distribution: Circumboreal; Europe, NW Africa, Siberia to the river Lena region and Yablonovoi Mts., N. America; Turkey, Caucasus, Uzbekistan, from Iraq east to Nepal, China.