Flora of North America species comparison

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

sometimes curved, slender, 10–40 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.

sheaths gray-brown to pale brown abaxially, inner band thin, hyaline, often red tinged, summit prolonged, concave;

ligules as long as wide;

blades yellowish green to pale gray-green, flat, 5–20 cm × 1–3 mm, subequal or shorter than culms, soft.

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.

1.5–5 cm × 7–12 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike, sometimes bristlelike, shorter than spikes.

3–6, gynecandrous, proximal spikes separate, usually 1–1.5 cm apart, distal approximate, individually distinct, containing 5–15(–20) perigynia, oblong, 5–15 × 4–6 mm;

terminal spike conspicuously staminate at base, long-clavate, 10–20 mm.

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.

appressed-ascending, gray-green, often reddish dotted, often pale brown in age, finely several-veined, oblong-elliptic, 2.5–3.3 × 1.5–2 mm, widest near middle, coriaceous;

beak entire or with few marginal teeth.

suborbiculate, 1.9–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

pale brown to gray-brown, oblong, 1.75–2 × 1.25–1.5 mm, dull.

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 pale red-brown with lighter center and narrow hyaline margins, ovate, ± equaling, concealing perigynia, apex obtuse.

2.2–2.5 mm.

= 64.