Culms loosely cespitose, light green, 15--25 cm. Leaves: sheaths dull brown-gray at base, becoming green distally, throats hairless; basal leaves flat toward base, channeled toward apex, 4--16 cm x 3--8 mm, apex abruptly pointed, callous, glabrous. Inflorescences asymmetric in appearance; glomerules (1--)2--5, central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, 3--9 x 2.5--6 mm; capillary branches 2--8, arched in 1 direction, to 3.5 cm; proximal inflorescence bract bladeless. Flowers: tepals brownish translucent (apex lacerate to entire), 2--3 mm, apex lacerate to entire; anthers equal to or exceeding filaments. Capsules light chestnut brown, broadly 3-angled, shorter than tepals. Seeds: most failing to mature, brown (with few hairs present), 3-angled, 0.9--1.1 mm, few hairs present; caruncle barely visible. 2n = 36.

Flowering and fruiting summer. Tundra; 50--2000 m; B.C., N.W.T., Yukon; Alaska; ne Asia.

Luzula kjellmaniana has light green culms, sheath throats essentially without hairs, and glabrous basal leaves that are flat toward the base and channeled toward the apex (the apex is abruptly pointed). Most seeds fail to mature.