Japan Flora: Culms 10-30 cm. long; leaves flaccid, the blades about 2 mm. wide, the basal sheaths in part purplish brown; spikes 3-5, contiguous, short-cylindric to oblong, the terminal gynecandrous or staminate, the lateral pistillate, 1-1.5 cm. long, the lower 1 or 2 bracts leaf-like, usually longer than the culm; pistillate scales oblong, obtuse, dark purple; perigynia longer than the scales, 2.5 mm. long, oval, pale green, minutely punctate, weakly nerved, short- beaked, with an entire tip; stigmas 2. Alpine regions.

Hok­kaido; rare. n. Kuriles, n. Korea, and e. Siberia.