Leaves usually glaucous; widest blade 6.4-11.8 mm wide. Longest staminate spike (10-)12-25 mm. 2n = 44, 46.

Fruiting spring-early summer. Low, wet, deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, along edges of springs, seeps, and streams, usually clay soils; 0-1000 m; Ont.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Fairly common in woods and thickets. Plants intermediate between the species and the following variety [var. copulata] are not infrequent; such are Deam nos. 844; 24750; 35708; 35924; 36407; 40669; and 51825.