Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

yellow-brown to red-brown at base, 25–60 cm.

sheaths pale brown abaxially, inner band thin, hyaline, sometimes slightly red tinged, concave at summit;

ligules slightly longer than wide;

blades pale green to gray-green flat, 10–20(–30) cm × (1.5–)2–4 mm, subequal to shorter than culms, not stiff.

sheaths scabrous;

blades, especially of overwintered leaves, glaucescent, widest blades (3.4–)3.7–5.8(–6.1) mm wide, smooth or papillose abaxially, papillae especially on overwintered leaves.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

0.22–0.86 of culm height;

peduncles of lateral spikes smooth or barely scaberulous;

peduncles of terminal spikes 6.6–42(–58) mm, barely to much exceeding lateral spikes;

proximal bract with sheath tight, abaxially scabrous, sheath front apex slightly convex, elongated 0.3–3.7(–4.4) mm;

ligules 0.7–3.4 mm;

distal bract overlapping but not exceeding terminal spike.

4–8, gynecandrous, proximal ± remote, distal spikes approximate, sometimes flexuous, containing (5–)10–20(–30) perigynia suborbicular to oblong, 3–12 × 3–5 mm;

terminal spike staminate for less than 1/2 of length, often clavate due to more conspicuous staminate part.

(3–)4–5(–6), separate or distal 2–4 overlapping;

lateral spikes pistillate or rarely androgynous, with (2–)3–11 perigynia, 6–39 × 3.8–6.8 mm, ratio of spike length (in mm) to flower number = 2.3–4.9;

terminal spikes (12–)18–46 × 1.4–3 mm, longest ones (25–)30–45 mm.

appressed-ascending, gray-green, becoming yellowish brown, obscurely many-veined, elliptic-ovate, 1.8–3 × 1.2–1.7 mm, widest near middle, membranous;

beak abaxial suture inconspicuous, small marginal teeth.

spirally imbricate, 49–58-veined, unwrinkled, narrowly ellipsoid to obovoid, obtusely triangular in cross section, (3.7–)4–4.7(–5.1) × 1.5–1.7(–1.8) mm, (2.2–)2.5–3.1 times as long as wide, dull, base gradually tapered, apex abruptly contracted;

beak slightly excurved, (0.5–)0.6–1 mm.

pale brown, oblong-obovate, 1.25–1.5 × 1–1.25 mm, dull to slightly glossy.

broadly obovoid-ellipsoid to obovoid-ellipsoid, (2.5–)2.7–3.5 × 1.4–1.6(–1.7) mm, tightly enveloped by perigynia;

stipe 0.3–0.5(–0.6) mm, bent 5–45°;

beak 0.2 mm, bent 30–70°.

scales hyaline with green, 3-veined center when young, usually brownish tinged in age, broadly ovate, subequal to, not concealing perigynia, apex obtuse to acutish.

scales (3.5–)4.1–7 × 1.3–2.5 mm, margins whitish, entire, apex with awn (0.1–)1.2–4.1 mm.

scales 3.8–4.3 × 1.3–1.6 mm.

2.9–3.4 mm.

= 56.