Luzula alpestris

Tufted perennial; fibrous leaf remains usually absent; flowering stems erect, usually c. 5–10(–c. 25) cm high, commonly c. twice as long as leaves. Leaves channelled, 1–2 mm wide, rather stiff, margins thickened, pale, virtually glabrous except near base where rather densely ciliate; leaf apices narrow but obtuse, sometimes the leafy floral bracts acute-tipped. Inflorescence a single dense ovate cluster mostly c. 0.7–1 cm long and 0.5–1 cm wide, sometimes broader and slightly lobed in robust specimens; leafy floral bracts commonly widely spreading or deflexed, membranous bracts prominent, imparting a pale overall cast to the inflorescence; tepals acuminate, 2–2.5 mm long, pale to mid-brown (rarely very dark) medially, with rather broad pale margins; anthers c. 0.5 mm long; capsules subequal to tepals, reddish to dark brown; seeds 0.8–1 mm long excluding caruncle which is c. one-eighth as long as seed. Flowers Nov.–Feb.