Plants densely to loosely cespitose; rhizomes arching, dark reddish brown, 0-5 mm, slender. Culms 6-34 cm, scabrous distally; bases weakly or not fibrous. Leaf blades pale green or glaucous, equaling or usually exceeding stems, 1.8-3.8 mm wide, coriaceous, glabrous abaxially, glabrous or scabrous adaxially. Inflorescences with both staminate and pistillate spikes; peduncles of basal spikes erect, short, stout; peduncles of terminal staminate spikes 2-2.5 mm; proximal nonbasal bracts leaflike, equaling or slightly exceeding inflorescences. Spikes: proximal pistillate spikes 2-6 (basal spikes 1-4); cauline spikes overlapping, with 1-4 perigynia; terminal staminate spikes 5.8-12.7 × 1.5-2.2 mm. Scales: pistillate scales reddish brown, with similarly colored or narrow white margins, ovate, 3.6-6 × 1.2-2.2 mm, apex cuspidate to acuminate (awned on some basal spikes); staminate scales lanceolate, 3.7-5.9 × 1.4-2.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate. Anthers 2.3-3.3 mm. Perigynia green, often with reddish brown tinge, 12-15 veined, conspicuous to at least mid body, ellipsoid, 4-5.3 × 1.4-2.2 mm; beak often bent, occasionally straight, pale green, 0.8-1.9 mm, ciliate-serrulate, apical teeth 0.2-0.5 mm. Stigmas 3. Achenes brown, ellipsoid, obtusely trigonous in cross section, 2.1-2.6 × 1.3-2.1 mm.

Fruiting late May-late Jul. Dry, rocky, open coniferous woodlands on mountains; 600-2800 m; Calif., Oreg.