Carex pauciflora Lightf.

Rhizomes 0.2–10 cm, 0.6–1.2 mm in diam. Culms arising singly or in loose tufts of 2–6(–12), 10–40(–60) cm, apically slightly scabrous. Leaves: proximal 1–4 reduced to bladeless or nearly bladeless sheaths; foliage leaves 1–2(–3) per culm; ligules about as wide as long; blades mostly 1–3 (proximal blade) or 5–13 (distal) cm × 0.5–1.6 mm. Spike consisting of slender terminal cone of (1–)2–4 staminate flowers and (1–)2–6(–7) pistillate flowers, 3–10 (often 5–8) × 2–8 (immature fruit) or to 17 (mature fruit) mm. Pistillate scales 3.7–5.9 mm, wider than and 2/3 length of perigynia. Staminate scales closely appressed. Perigynia light green, becoming straw colored or pale brown, lance-subulate to narrowly elongate-oblong, (5–)5.9–7.8 × 0.7–1.1 mm, long-tapering; beak indistinct; rachilla vestigial. Achenes 2–2.4 × 0.8–1 mm; style exserted 0.2–1.3 mm beyond orifice of beak. 2n = ca. 74, 76.

Can be grown by divisions.