Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. Culms terete or distally rounded-trigonous. Leaves basal; ligules present; blades flat. Inflorescences terminal, spicate; involucral bracts several, suberect, proximal leaflike, distal scalelike; spikelets 2–25 per spike. Spikelets: scales 2–5, lateral spikelets spirally arranged, each subtending flower, terminal spikelets pseudodistichous. Flowers bisexual; perianth bristles (0–)3–5(–6), barbed, shorter than achene; stamens 3; styles linear, 2-fid, base persistent. Achenes biconvex or plano-convex. x = 20.

Distribution

Boreal regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Discussion

Species 1.

Selected References

Oteng-Yeboah, A. A. 1977. Observations on Blysmus and Blysmopsis. Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 33: 399–406.

Lower Taxa

Blysmopsis rufa