Herbs, perennial, strongly tufted, to 4 dm. Rhizomes densely short-branched. Culms terete. Cataphylls several. Leaves: auricles 0.2 mm, apex acutish to rounded, scarious; blade 4--15 cm. Inflorescences 2--7-flowered, loose to congested; primary bract usually longer than inflorescence. Flowers pedicellate; bracteoles ovate; tepals light brown with green midstripe, lanceolate or widely so, 4--5 mm, margins scarious; inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity, shorter; stamens 6, filaments 0.8 mm, anthers 0.8--1.1 mm; style 0.2 mm. Capsules brown, 3-locular, oblong-ovoid, 3.5--5 x 1.5--1.9 mm, slightly exceeding perianth. Seeds amber, body 0.5 mm, tails 0.3 mm.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Exposed slopes, stream banks, and meadows in montane and alpine areas; 1600--3000 m; Colo., Idaho, Mont., Utah, Wash., Wyo.