Perennial from short rhizomes ending in tubers; stems solitary, 1–5 dm; lvs numerous, 2–5 mm wide, about equaling the stem; bracts 3–5, the longer surpassing the infl; rays numerous, 1–5(–10) cm, often branched above; spikes short, loosely hemispheric, 1–3 cm wide; spikelets few to many, flattened, 3–15 mm, with 8–25 fls; some spikelets usually proliferated, bearing much elongate scales; scales normally ovate, 2–3 mm, the midvein prolonged as a short stout point; rachilla wingless; achenes obovoid trigonous, 1 mm or less, half as thick; 2n=34. Sandy shores; Que. and N.S. to n. N.Y., s. to W.Va. and N.C.; nw. Ind.