Flora of North America species comparison

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

10–40(–70) cm.

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.

blades 5–20(–1.5–25) cm × 2–3(–3.7) mm.

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.

proximal bracts with well-developed blades exceeding inflorescences, sheaths to 10 mm, rarely in dwarf alpine plants with bracts scalelike, sheathless;

lateral spikes with (3–) 10–30 flowers, approximate or proximal distant, dense to somewhat lax, (4–)10–23 × 3–5 mm;

middle internodes 0.5–1 mm;

terminal spike usually staminate, occasionally gynecandrous, sessile or short-pedunculate, 6–18 mm, (1.8–)2–3.5 mm wide in staminate portion.

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.

ascending, whitish, elliptic-obovate, (2.1–)2.3–3.1 × 1.2–1.9 mm, densely papillose.

suborbiculate, 1.9–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

elliptic-circular, 1.2–2 × 1.1–1.5 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 ascending, pale brown to medium brown with paler center, ovate to ovate-circular, 2–3.2 × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse to acuminate, often mucronate to aristate.

2.2–2.5 mm.

staminate scales pale brown with paler midvein and hyaline margins, oblong-obovate, 3–6(–15) mm, apex obtuse to long-acuminate.