Flora of North America species comparison

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

weakly erect, sometimes slightly curving, 10–40 cm, smooth or nearly so.

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 brown abaxially, inner band hyaline, slightly red tinged, concave at summit;

ligules short;

blades mid to dark green, flat, 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, 1–2.5 cm × 5–12 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike, usually 2–8 mm, shorter than spikes.

2–5, lateral spikes gynecandrous, approximate or 1–2 proximal slightly separate, containing 10–20 perigynia, short-oblong to suborbicular.

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, brownish green or in age brownish yellow, lightly or obscurely several-veined, obovate, 2–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, base round-tapering, membranous;

beak abaxial suture evident, entire or with few marginal teeth.

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

pale to mid brown, elliptic, 1.2–1.5 × 1 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 red-brown with pale brown center and white-hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, subequaling perigynia, apex obtuse.

1.5–2.5 mm.

= 64