A low growing pale green species only 3 to 20 cm tall with one or two sheathing leaves per stem. The terminal bract is much longer than the inflorescence which has 1 to 3 spikelets each to 5 mm long. It may form small clumps.

Either obtain confirmation from a County Recorder before submitting a record, or submit detailed images showing key features.  We recommend that you take and retain a specimen; the County Recorder may wish to see this for confirmation. 

A pioneer species of disturbed ground it favours open, damp, generally acidic sites, especially those subject to winter flooding. It occurs on sandy or gravelly tracks, on the shores of lakes or ponds, in short grassland and eroding streamsides.

Flowering May to September.

Annual.

Widely distributed in Britain, Very well recorded in Scotland, Wales and East Anglia.

Very local in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi & Evans, 1988) it was found in 31 of the 617 tetrads.

In the VC55 Checklist (Jeeves 2011) it is listed as Native; occasional