Flora of North America species comparison

to 75 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

brown at base, usually not more than 1 mm wide distally.

sheath fronts indistinctly spotted pale brown or red, apex convex, membranous, rugose;

ligule rounded, to 3 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm;

blades 60 cm × 5 mm, shorter than flowering stem.

basal sheaths fibrous;

sheath fronts membranous, often dotted red, transversely rugose;

blades V-shaped in cross section when young, glabrous.

spicate, 4–7 cm × 15 mm, with 10–15 branches, proximal usually distinct;

proximal internodes to 1.5 cm;

bracts setaceous, proximal 1–3 conspicuous, distal bracts scalelike.

usually paniculate, usually condensed, with 8–20+ spikes, usually more than 15 spikes;

proximal bracts filiform, sheathless;

spikes androgynous, rarely also with some staminate flowers proximally or pistillate, sessile, prophylls absent.

golden brown, 3-veined abaxially, body broadly elliptic to ovate, 2.2–3 × 1.5–2.2 mm, base rounded;

beak 0.5–1.2 mm, 1/3 length of body.

ascending or eventually spreading, veined abaxially, veined or veinless adaxially, stipitate, lanceolate to broadly ovate, plano-convex in cross section, base rounded or subcordate, with spongy tissue, margins acutely angled, apex tapering or abruptly contracted to beak, glabrous;

beak bidentate, with abaxial suture.

red-brown, circular, 1.2–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm, glossy.

biconvex, smaller than bodies of perigynia;

style deciduous.

hyaline, red-brown with narrow colorless margins, awn to 1.5 mm.

pistillate scales yellow or brown, sometimes with hyaline margins and 3-veined center, apex obtuse, at least distally, to awned.

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