Japan Flora: Rhizomes short; culms some­ what tufted, 20-60 cm. long, 3-angled, slightly scabrous in upper part; leaf-blades 1.5-4 mm. wide, flat, glaucous-green; head naked, 2-6 cm. long; spikes 4-7, gynecandrous, oblong to nearly globose, 4-10 mm. long, glaucous-green to pale green; pistillate scales oval, pale yellowish; perigynia longer than the scales, broadly ovate or obovate, 2-2,2 mm. long, nearly obtuse, glaucous- or gray-green, becoming brownish at maturity, several-nerved, slightly scabrous on margins above, the beak very short, 2-toothed; stigmas 2. June-July. Bogs and wet meadows.

Hokkaido, Honshu (alpine regions of centr. distr., and northw.); rather common. Arctic areas and alpine regions of the N. Hemisphere.