Flora of North America species comparison

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

to 60 cm × 2 mm, usually scabrous abaxially.

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.

proximal sheaths usually all with blades, fronts hyaline, smooth, apex colorless, hyaline, concave, entire;

ligules obtuse, 5 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm;

blades clustered at base, not epistomic, to 60 cm × 4 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.

very condensed, ovoid to shortly cylindric, with 5–10 individually indistinguishable branches, to 2.5 × 1.5 cm;

proximal internodes not visible, not more than 3 mm;

proximal bract scalelike, inconspicuous.

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.

pale brown, 7–11-veined abaxially, 5–7-veined adaxially, to 3.5 × 1.5 mm, base not distended proximally, rounded or cordate;

stipe to 0.1 mm;

beak to 1.5 mm, smooth or subserrulate, apex entire, oblique or, sometimes, bidentate with teeth to 0.1 mm.

suborbiculate, 1.9–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

ovate, to 1.5 × 1 mm;

persistent style base cylindric.

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.

2.2–2.5 mm.

hyaline, dark brown, subequal to perigynia, acute.