Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Washington, east to Northwest Territories and Alberta.

Habitat: Wet meadows, streams and mossy banks in the moungtains

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Perennial herb with unbranched stems to 10 cm tall; from slender creeping rhizomes.

Simple, linear, to 1 cm long, in whorls of 5-8 along stem.

Tiny and inconspicuous, in worls at bases of leaves; mostly imperfect, lacking petals, and with 1 stamen.

Small reddish-green nutlike fruits in whorls at leaf bases.

Look for the delicate plants with narrow whorled leaves and minute flowers. H. vulgaris is a more robust plant with stems more than 1 mm thick and leaves mostly over 1 cm long.