Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Shores, seeps, damp ground, and ditches.

Flowers: June - September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Tufted perennial, the stems 1.5-6 dm. tall.

Leaves only on the basal portion of the stem; leaf blades flattened, 0.5-1.5 mm. broad; leaf bases sheathing, the sheaths projecting upward into auricles that are either gristle-like and short or membranous and elongate.

Flowers few to numerous in a terminal, congested to open, cymose inflorescence, exceeded by the involucral bract; perianth 4-5 mm. long, the 6 segments greenish to tawny with a green midrib, the margins membranous, the tip acute or awl-like; stamens 6, the anthers shorter than the filaments.

Capsule firm, cylindric-ovoid, truncate, about equal to the perianth.