Pistillate scales black, margins rarely hyaline, narrowly lanceolate sometimes shorter than, but usually equaling or exceeding and as wide as perigynia, midvein prominent, lighter colored than body, conspicuous, apex acute to attenuate, occasionally mucronate. Perigynia distally greenish yellow or yellow-brown, veined or veinless, narrowly ovate, papillose; beak purple to black-tipped, darker than body of perigynium.

Fruiting Jun-Aug. Meadow tundra; 0-1000; Alaska; Asia (Russian Far East).

The name Carex tolmiei has been misapplied to specimens of C. microchaeta subsp. nesophila. Carex microchaeta subsp. nesophila is a coastal race with transitional forms to C. microchaeta subsp. microchaeta.