Flora of North America species comparison

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

often arching, weak, 10–40(–60) cm.

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 pale to mid brown abaxially, inner band thin and hyaline, concave at summit;

ligules as wide as long, 2–8 mm;

blades usually gray-green, flat to channeled, 5–15 cm × 1–2 mm, usually shorter than culms.

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.

erect, 1–2 cm × 5–12 mm;

proximal bracts usually scalelike, shorter than spikes.

2–4, closely approximate, individually distinct, proximal lateral spikes pistillate, containing 5–10(–15) perigynia, oblong-linear;

terminal spike gynecandrous, containing 10(–20) perigynia, clavate.

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.

ascending, light to pale brown, often gray-brown at maturity, lightly or obscurely several-veined, from broadly elliptic-obovate to lanceolate, 1.5–3.5 × 1.–1.5 mm, widest near middle, subcoriaceous;

beak short, entire.

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

mid brown to red-brown, elliptic, 1.5 × 1–1.25 mm, dull to slightly 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 pale to red-brown with yellow-brown center and white-hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, subequal to perigynia, apex obtuse.

1.5–2.5 mm.

= 66.