Roots colourless, or pallid-brown, or black. Scales present, or absent. Leaves mostly basal, or distributed along the stems.
Pedicels smooth, or scabrous.
Terminal spike with both sexes in each floret. Stigmas per style 3. Circumpolar, or amphi-Atlantic, or North American. Arctic, or high arctic, or low arctic. Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago wide-spread, or limited.