Flora of North America species comparison

densely tufted, lateral, ascending or lax to decumbent, distinctly winged, 10–62 cm × 2–2.4 mm;

basal sheath light brown to brown, the proximal frequently wine-red or purple, small, triangular.

straight or arcuate, 2–85 cm.

sheaths 2–15 mm;

blades ascending, midrib well developed, 2 lateral veins conspicuous, slightly more so than other veins, flat, thin, 10–35 cm × 10–38 mm, widest leaf 13–38(–62) mm wide, blades of overwintering leaves smooth.

of flowering stems shorter than to exceeding culms, to 20 cm × 0.8–5.4 mm;

ligules on distal cauline leaves usually obsolete (except in 414.b Carex viridula subsp. brachyrrhyncha).

1.4–2.6 cm × 3.9–2.2(–3.2) mm;

bract blades of distal lateral spikes lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, wider than spikes, concealing them, widest bract blade of distalmost lateral spike (2.9–)3.2–8.3 mm wide.

peduncles of proximal spikes to 5.8 cm; of terminal spike absent.

peduncles of terminal staminate spikes 0–28 mm;

bracts to 18 cm × 0.6–3.4 mm;

inner band of sheaths concave or truncate.

4(–5) per culm;

lateral spikes 6–36 × 3–4.2 mm;

terminal spike erect, linear, 4–18 × 1.2–1.6 mm, often hidden by distal 2 pistillate spikes and distal bract blade, frequently exceeded by distal 2 pistillate bracts.

proximal pistillate spikes 1–8, contiguous or proximal distant, sessile or short-pedunculate, globose to short-cylindric, 4–17.5 × 3–11 mm;

terminal staminate spike sessile or pedunculate, 5–25 × 1–3.6 mm.

3–20 per spike, strongly to loosely overlapping, erect or ascending, obovate, 3–4.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm;

beak abruptly bent, 0.3–0.6 mm.

spreading, yellow to dark olive, 1.8–4.2 × 0.8–2 mm, apex gradually or abruptly narrowed;

beak straight or reflexed less than 20°, 0.3–2.1 mm, scabrous or smooth.

ovoid, 2.5–3.8 × 1.6–1.8 mm.

1–1.8 × 0.7–1.4 mm.

scales oblong, 2.8–3.2 × 1.4–2 mm, apex obtuse or truncate, awnless (sometimes mucronate).

scales oblong ovate, 2.8–3.2 × 1.4–2 mm, margins hyaline, apex obtuse.

2–2.2 mm.

0.9–3.1 mm.

pistillate scales pale brown to reddish brown, 1.4–3.2 × 0.8–1.7 mm, margins pale, narrow, hyaline; staminate scales reddish brown, lanceolate to ovate, 2.3–5.2 × 0.7–2 mm, margins narrowly pale hyaline, apex obtuse to acuminate.

= 44.