Flora of North America species comparison

20–90 cm;

vegetative culms inconspicuous with few leaves clustered at apex.

to 60 cm.

sheaths white-hyaline or green-veined, sometimes papillose, summits U-shaped, not distally expanded;

distal ligules 2.2–6 mm;

blades 3–4 per fertile culm, 11–25 cm × 1.7–4.2 mm.

blades flat or, sometimes, folded (in dwarf individuals), 2–9 cm × (0.75–)1–4 mm.

mostly dense, brown, 1.1–3 cm × 5–14 mm;

proximal internode 1–4 mm; 2d internode 1.4–3.4 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike, with bristle tips shorter than inflorescences.

3–10, usually overlapping, ovoid to globose, 4–10 × 3–7 mm, base rounded or truncate, apex rounded.

ascending to ascending-spreading, light to dark reddish brown, conspicuously 3+-veined abaxially, faintly or basally 1–3-veined adaxially, winged to base, ovate or elliptic, plano-convex, 2.5–3.8 × (1–)1.2–2 mm, 0.35–0.45 mm thick, 1.9–2.5 times as long as wide, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.5 mm wide, 1b ciliate-serrulate at least distally;

beak reddish brown at tip, flat, ± ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture with reddish brown-hyaline margin, distance from beak tip to achene 1.2–2.2 mm.

veinless, except for 2 marginal veins, oblong-ovate, 2.3–3.5 × 0.8–1.2 mm;

beak 0.5–1 mm, margins entire or serrulate.

ovate or elliptic, 1–1.3 × 0.6–0.9 mm, 0.3–0.4 mm thick.

obovoid, 1.2–1.7 × 0.7–1 mm.

scales reddish brown, usually with green or whitish to brown midstripe, lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 mm, shorter and narrower than perigynia, apex acuminate or acute.

scales pale to medium brown with hyaline margins and paler midvein, ovate, 1.8–2.8 × 1–1.5 mm, apex obtuse or acute.

spike usually staminate, level with or over-topped by some lateral spikes, 4–10 × 0.7–1.4 mm.

spikes 2–4, 6–20-flowered, 5–20 × 3–4 mm, the proximal usually drooping, often ± erect in dwarf arctic-alpine plants.

scales pale brown with hyaline margins and green or brown midvein, oblong, 2.5–3.2 × 1–1.2 mm, apex obtuse or acute.

= 68, 70.

= 54.