Herbs, 2--10 dm. Leaves: blade absent. Inflorescences 6--many-flowered, loose to congested; primary bract usually several times longer than inflorescence. Flowers: tepals blackish to light brown, occasionally paler, (2.5--)3.5--5.5(--6) mm; filaments 0.2--0.5 mm, anthers 1.2--2.2 mm.

Flowering spring--early summer. . Shores, stream margins, wet meadows, fens, marshes, often slightly alkaline soils; Greenland; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Del., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Maine, Mass., Md., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.Mex., N.Dak., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Vta., Vat., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo.; Mexico; South America; Europe; Asia.