Flora of North America species comparison

2–3 mm thick.

(20–)30–100 cm, 1.5–3.5 mm wide basally, 0.7–1.2 mm wide distally.

15–22(–30) cm, 2.5–3 mm thick at base.

sheaths usually loose, proximal green-and-white-striped and green-and-white-mottled, with conspicous transverse veins on back, fronts white to hyaline, sometimes red dotted and transversely rugose, yellow or brown and thickened at mouth;

ligules 1–4.5 mm, shorter than to as long as wide;

widest leaf blades 3.5–5 mm wide.

sheaths 2–3 cm, fronts often mottled dark brown;

blades flattened laterally, with 5–8 conspicuous air cavities, median groove inconspicuous, elliptic in cross section, 10–20(–25) cm × 0.6–1.2 mm.

with 5–10 spikes, (1.5–)2–5 cm × 8–13 mm;

proximal internodes shorter than to as long as proximal spikes;

proximal bracts to 3 cm;

spikes with 5–15 ascending to spreading perigynia.

1.4–2.5 cm × 7–12 mm, staminate portion 2–10 mm.

pale green to pale brown, veinless or weakly 2–5-veined abaxially, 3.4–4.6 × 1.9–2.8 mm, body somewhat spongy, thickened at base, margins serrulate distally;

beak 0.7–1.4 mm, apical teeth 0.3–1 mm.

angles veined, shortly 3–10-veined on faces, sessile, broadly elliptic, 5–7 × 3–4.8 mm, base rounded, apex rounded;

beak entire;

rachilla longer than fruit.

circular to elliptic-circular, 1.8–2.1 × 1.6–1.8 mm.

stalked to 0.15 mm.

scales hyaline or pale brown with green, 1–3-veined center, ovate, 2.2–3.5 × 1.2–1.8 mm, body 2/3 as long to almost length of perigynia, apex acuminate to short-awned.

scales white medially, 3–5-veined, shorter and narrower than perigynia, leathery, apex acute to acuminate;

proximal scales sometimes awned to 4 mm.

1.5–2.5 mm.

2–3 mm.

1–2 mm.