The natural history of the northwoods . The acaulescent leaves and scales are tightly compacted.
Foliage dies back each winter, but basal portions of leaves and stems remain green.
Inflorescense a densely tufted cyme composed of multiflowered spikelets. Fruit an achene. Roots densely fibrous, dying back to rootstocks each winter. The roots hydrolyze and absorb organic phosphorus compounds from the soil, providing up to 69 percent of the plant's phosphorus requirement. Tussocks composed of 300-600 individual tillers.