Widest leaf 2.7-4.5(-5.3) mm wide. Inflorescence: longest peduncle of staminate spike 0.9-7.2(-11.4) cm; terminal spike usually surpassed by bract blade of distal lateral spike. Peryginia (8-)11-15-veined, 2.5-3.3 mm, apex barely excurved. 2n = 48.

Fruiting spring-early summer. Mesic to dry-mesic, deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, mixed soils; 0-1000 m; N.S., Ont., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Common in southern Indiana; locally frequent in the northern counties. A woodland species preferring dry beech woods but frequent also in dry or moist black or white oak woods. The length of the peduncle of the staminate spike in this species, as in Carex laxiculmis, is extremely variable. An extreme form in which the staminate spike is born on a peduncle overtopping the uppermost pistillate spike and bract has been described by Professor Fernald as var. macropoda, and under this variety he cites Deam no. 27837 from Crawford County and no. 27119 from Perry County. In the Deam Herbarium, Deam no. 44066 from Perry County apparently represents this extreme of the species but is too immature to be placed here with certainty. Among the numerous intermediate collections Deam no. 20378 from Harrison County and no. 20592 from Washington County most nearly approximate var. macropoda.