diff --git a/src/obikseq/src/packed_seq.rs b/src/obikseq/src/packed_seq.rs
index 393e73b..3acac76 100644
--- a/src/obikseq/src/packed_seq.rs
+++ b/src/obikseq/src/packed_seq.rs
@@ -220,25 +220,39 @@ impl PackedSeq {
         Ok(self.kmer(i)?.canonical())
     }
 
-    /// Iterate over all kmers of length `params::k()` in order. Zero allocation.
+    /// Borrowing iterator over all k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    ///
+    /// Borrows `self`; use when the sequence is held in a collection and may be
+    /// iterated more than once, or when the sequence is needed after iteration.
+    /// Cannot be used inside a `flat_map` closure that receives owned values —
+    /// use [`into_kmers`](Self::into_kmers) in that case.
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter_kmers(&self) -> PackedSeqKmerIter<&PackedSeq> {
         PackedSeqKmerIter::new(self)
     }
 
-    /// Iterate over all canonical kmers of length `params::k()` in order. Zero allocation.
+    /// Borrowing iterator over all canonical k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    ///
+    /// Same borrowing semantics as [`iter_kmers`](Self::iter_kmers).
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter_canonical_kmers(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = CanonicalKmer> + '_ {
         self.iter_kmers().map(|km| km.canonical())
     }
 
-    /// Consuming iterator over all k-mers. Moves `self` into the iterator; zero allocation.
+    /// Consuming iterator over all k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    ///
+    /// Moves `self` into the iterator ([`OwnedPackedSeqKmerIter`]); use when
+    /// the sequence is produced one-at-a-time and ownership must transfer into
+    /// the iterator — in particular inside a `flat_map` closure that receives
+    /// owned `PackedSeq` or `SuperKmer` values.
     #[inline]
     pub fn into_kmers(self) -> OwnedPackedSeqKmerIter {
         OwnedPackedSeqKmerIter::new(self)
     }
 
-    /// Consuming iterator over all canonical k-mers. Moves `self` into the iterator; zero allocation.
+    /// Consuming iterator over all canonical k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    ///
+    /// Same ownership semantics as [`into_kmers`](Self::into_kmers).
     #[inline]
     pub fn into_canonical_kmers(self) -> impl Iterator<Item = CanonicalKmer> {
         self.into_kmers().map(|km| km.canonical())
@@ -288,10 +302,19 @@ impl AsRef<PackedSeq> for PackedSeq {
 
 // ── PackedSeqKmerIter ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-/// Sliding-window kmer iterator over a [`PackedSeq`]. Zero allocation.
+/// Sliding-window k-mer iterator over a [`PackedSeq`]. Zero allocation.
 ///
-/// `S` is the storage: `&PackedSeq` (borrowing) or `PackedSeq` (owning).
-/// Both implement `AsRef<PackedSeq>` via std blanket impls.
+/// The type parameter `S` controls ownership of the underlying sequence:
+///
+/// | `S`           | Alias                   | Obtained via          | Use when                                              |
+/// |---------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
+/// | `&PackedSeq`  | *(none, inferred)*      | [`PackedSeq::iter_kmers`]   | The `PackedSeq` is borrowed and will be reused or iterated multiple times. |
+/// | `PackedSeq`   | [`OwnedPackedSeqKmerIter`] | [`PackedSeq::into_kmers`] | The `PackedSeq` is consumed and will not be needed after iteration — required when the sequence is produced one-at-a-time (e.g. read from a file) and passed to `flat_map`. |
+///
+/// The borrowing form cannot be used inside a `flat_map` closure that receives
+/// owned values: the sequence would be dropped at the end of the closure while
+/// the iterator still holds a reference to it.  The owning form moves the
+/// sequence into the iterator, so no reference escapes the closure.
 pub struct PackedSeqKmerIter<S> {
     seq: S,
     mask: u64,
@@ -301,7 +324,11 @@ pub struct PackedSeqKmerIter<S> {
     max_pos: usize,
 }
 
-/// Owning alias: the iterator moves the [`PackedSeq`] into itself.
+/// Owning variant of [`PackedSeqKmerIter`]: the [`PackedSeq`] is moved into
+/// the iterator rather than borrowed.  Use this when the sequence is consumed
+/// (e.g. via [`PackedSeq::into_kmers`] or [`SuperKmer::into_canonical_kmers`])
+/// so that the iterator can be stored or passed to `flat_map` without lifetime
+/// constraints.
 pub type OwnedPackedSeqKmerIter = PackedSeqKmerIter<PackedSeq>;
 
 impl<S: AsRef<PackedSeq>> PackedSeqKmerIter<S> {
diff --git a/src/obikseq/src/superkmer.rs b/src/obikseq/src/superkmer.rs
index 40e01d3..b6c97a3 100644
--- a/src/obikseq/src/superkmer.rs
+++ b/src/obikseq/src/superkmer.rs
@@ -196,19 +196,34 @@ impl SuperKmer {
         self.inner.to_ascii()
     }
 
-    /// Iterate over all k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    /// Borrowing iterator over all k-mers of length `params::k()` in order.
+    ///
+    /// Use when `self` is borrowed (e.g. from a `Vec<SuperKmer>`) and may be
+    /// needed after iteration or iterated more than once.
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter_kmers(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = Kmer> + '_ {
         self.inner.iter_kmers()
     }
 
-    /// Iterate over all canonical k-mers in order.
+    /// Borrowing iterator over all canonical k-mers in order.
+    ///
+    /// Use when `self` is borrowed.  Cannot be composed with `flat_map` over
+    /// owned values — use [`into_canonical_kmers`](Self::into_canonical_kmers)
+    /// in that case.
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter_canonical_kmers(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = CanonicalKmer> + '_ {
         self.inner.iter_canonical_kmers()
     }
 
-    /// Consuming iterator over all canonical k-mers. Moves `self`; zero allocation.
+    /// Consuming iterator over all canonical k-mers in order.
+    ///
+    /// Moves `self` into the iterator; zero allocation.  Required when
+    /// `SuperKmer` values are produced one-at-a-time (e.g. read from a file)
+    /// and fed to `flat_map`:
+    ///
+    /// ```ignore
+    /// file_reader.iter().flat_map(|sk| sk.into_canonical_kmers())
+    /// ```
     #[inline]
     pub fn into_canonical_kmers(self) -> impl Iterator<Item = CanonicalKmer> {
         self.inner.into_canonical_kmers()