Swamps, especially along streams, lake shores, moist open sedge meadows; very local except in the western Upper Peninsula. Last collected in the Lower Peninsula in 1918, the record somewhat concerning as the collector also worked extensively in areas of the western Upper Peninsula where this plant is more frequent (though in different years). 

This uncommon northern plant looks rather like a small Carex alopecoidea, but differs in the staminate flowers being basal in the spikes, and in having culms that are not sharply angled (or even narrowly winged).