Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and eastern North America.

Habitat: Lowland to subalpine lake and stream margins, bogs, swamps, and marshes.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Strongly rhizomatous perennial, the culms somewhat decumbent, 1.5-14 dm. tall.

Sheaths open, smooth; ligules 3-9 mm. long, acute, usually lacerate and glabrous; blades 3-12 mm. wide, flat, usually slightly rough on both surfaces.

Inflorescence a loose panicle 5-20 cm. long, the branches 2-3 per node, spreading; spikelets 3- to 7-flowered; glumes broadly ovate, the first 0.8-1.1 mm. long, the second 1.2-1.8 mm. long; lemmas 1.9-2.9 mm. long, 5- or 7-nerved, with a purplish band below the membranous margin of the blunt tip.