Herbs, 1--3 dm. Culms 0.7--1.2 mm diam. Leaves: blade absent. Inflorescences 3--8-flowered, slightly compact, 1--1.5 cm; primary bract 3--8 cm. Flowers: tepals shining chestnut brown with lighter midstripe, lanceolate, 4--5(--6) mm, apex acuminate; inner series shorter, margins clear, obtuse to acute; stamens 2 mm, filaments 1 mm, anthers 1 mm. Capsules dark tan, oblate, 3--4 mm diam., usually slightly exceeding perianth.

Flowering spring--summer. Moist to dry places, wet meadows, stream banks; 0--2200 m; Greenland; B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr. (Labr), N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Yukon; Alaska; Asia..

Perhaps Juncus arcticus var. alaskanus is not distinct from the Eurasian J.uncus arcticus var. arcticus.