Flora of North America species comparison

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

very slender, nodding, 15–60 cm, exceeding leaves, scabrid.

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.

basal sheaths pale brown abaxially, inner band white-hyaline, truncate at summit;

ligules broader than long;

blades mid to dark green, flat, 15–30 × 0.75–1.5 mm, scabrid.

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.

1.5–2.5 cm × 3–5 mm;

proximal bract 5–20 mm;

distal bracts scalelike.

2–4(–5), proximal separate, distal aggregate, globose, 3–5 × 2–4 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.

1–6, pale green, often brown or even purplish in age, plump, 2.25–3 × 1.3–1.5 mm, membranous, shiny.

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

red-brown, oblong-elliptic, 1.5–1.75 × 1 mm, glossy.

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-hyaline with green center, ovate, narrower and shorter than perigynia, apex acuminate.

1.5–2.5 mm.

= 70.