Japan Flora: Culms 20-50 cm. long, in small loose tufts, slightly nodding above; leaf-blades 3-5 mm. wide, the basal sheaths dark purplish red; spikes 3 to 5, contiguous, the terminal gynecan- drous, the others pistillate, approximate, oblong to narrowly so, 10-25 mm. long, nodding, peduncled, the lowest bract Iong- bristleform, as long as the inflorescence; pistillate scales ovate, dark brown, acute; perigynia nearly as long as and slightly broader than the scales, elliptic, 3-3.5 mm. long, membranous, tawny-flecked, nerveless, abruptly short-beaked, slightly emar­ginate; achenes loosely inclosed, small; stigmas 3, short. July-Aug. Alpine slopes.

Honshu (centr. mountains); very rare. n. Korea. A variable widespread species, Siberia to Europe and N. America.