Herbs, perennial, 2--6 dm. Rhizomes long creeping. Culms erect, slightly compressed, never rooting at nodes. Leaves: basal 2--4, cauline 2--3; auricles 1--3 mm, apex rounded to acutish, membranous; blade flat, 10--30 cdm x 2--4 mm, reduced distally, margins occasionally papillose. Inflorescences glomerules, usually 3--9, each with 3--8(--10) flowers, open, 2--9 cm; primary bract much shorter than inflorescence. Flowers: tepals yellow-brown with green midstripe, lanceolate, 5--6.5 mm, margins clear; outer and inner series nearly equal, adaxially papillose; stamens 6, filaments 0.5--1 mm, anthers 1.8--2.6 mm; style 0.6 mm. Capsules tan, 3-locular, obovoid, 3--5 mm, shorter than perianth. Seeds ovoid, body 0.5--0.7 mm, tails 0.2--0.4 mm.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Moist ground in mountain meadows; 850--2500 m; Calif., Idaho, Oreg., Wash.