Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 2--4.5 dm. Culms erect, terete, 1--3 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 1, straw-colored or maroon, apex acute. Leaves: basal 1--2, cauline 2--3; auricles 2--3.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious; blade terete, 2--16 cm x 1--2 mm. Inflorescences single heads (rarely cluster of 2--3 heads), 0.5--2 cm; primary bract erect; heads 15--25-flowered, spheric, 11--14 mm diam. Flowers: tepals light green to light pink or white, lanceolate, 3.1--4.2 mm, apex obtuse; stamens 6, anthers 2--3 times filament length. Capsules included, straw-colored, 1-locular, broadly obovoid to ovoid, 2.2--2.5 mm, apex obtuse, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle. Seeds oblong, 0.5 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown.

Fruiting mid summer--fall. Sandbars, meadows, damp soil in rock outcrops, and talus; 1400--3000 m; Calif., Nev.