Flora of North America species comparison

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

30–80 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.

3.9–8.7 mm wide, glabrous.

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–)2–4(–6), erect;

lateral spikes usually pistillate;

terminal spike gynecandrous; staminate portion 4–11 × 1–3.5 mm; pistillate portion oblong to elliptic, 10–43 × 10–16 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.

appressed-ascending, the proximal not reflexed, 5.5–7.8 × 2–3 mm, smooth;

beak 2.3–2.9 mm, often sparingly scabrous.

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

sides often concave, 2–2.6 × 1.4–1.7 mm, 1.2–1.9 times as long as wide;

style deciduous, straight.

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 2.3–5.5 × 1.2–1.7 mm, apex acute, sharp or blunt, hidden by perigynia.

1.5–2.5 mm.

scales 4.2–5.8 × 1.4–2 mm, apex acute, sharp or blunt.