Flora of North America species comparison

0.6–1.8 mm thick, shoots often arising 2–several per cluster, many nodes without shoots.

20–90 cm, 1.5–3 mm wide basally, 0.9–1.1 mm wide distally.

bluntly trigonous, (6–)10–35 cm, smooth-angled distally.

sheaths tight, green, fronts hyaline, yellowish and thickened at mouth;

ligules to 3 mm, as long as wide;

widest leaf blades 2.5–4.5 mm wide, sometimes papillose adaxially.

basal sheaths grayish brown to dark brown, shredding into fibers;

sheaths with hyaline inner band, apex not prolonged beyond base of blade;

ligules 0–0.8 mm, glabrous;

blades 0.6–1.8 mm wide.

with (3–)5–10 spikes, 1.5–3.5 cm × 8–15 mm;

proximal internodes equaling or shorter than proximal spikes;

proximal bracts 1–5 cm;

spikes with 8–20 ascending or spreading perigynia.

0.7–2 cm, 1/2+ as wide as long (if pistillate);

spikes 3–8, androgynous, ovoid.

pale green, pale yellow, or pale brown, 9–15-veined abaxially, 3.5–5 × 2.2–3 mm, margins serrulate distally;

beak 0.8–1.2 mm, apical teeth 0.4–0.6 mm.

dark reddish brown, essentially veinless, ± stipitate, broadly ovate to nearly orbicular, thickly plano-convex, 2.4–3.9 × 1.5–2.1 mm, shiny;

beak 0.3–0.9 mm, hyaline, weakly bidentulate or oblique.

suborbiculate, 1.9–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

scales hyaline or brown with green, 3-veined center, ovate, (2.4–)3–4.3 × (1–)1.6–3 mm, body slightly shorter to longer than perigynium and as wide, apex awned to 1.5–3.5(–4) mm.

scales dark reddish brown, with hyaline margins, broadly ovate, 2.4–4.1 mm, apex acute to acuminate, shiny.

2.2–2.5 mm.

1.4–3 mm, apiculus smooth to warty, very short and broad (30X).