Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across much of North America to northeastern North America.

Habitat: Gravel or sand riverbanks, oxbow marshes, canals, and ditches.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Tufted perennial with densely branching rhizomes, the stems 1-10, 2-6 dm. tall.

Leaves 1-2, basal, the blades flat, 5-15 cm. long and 0.5-1.1 mm. broad; leaf bases sheathing, the sheaths with whitish or purplish auricles 0.2-0.4 mm. long.

Inflorescence somewhat compact, 1.5-7 cm. long, the involucral bract shorter than the inflorescence; perianth 3.3-4.4 mm. long, the 6 segments greenish, lanceolate-acuminate; stamens 6.

Capsule ellipsoid to nearly globose, 3.8-4.7 mm. long, light to dark tan.