Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

7–31 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.

blades involute, bristlelike, 3–21 cm × 0.2–1 mm.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

proximal bract sheaths 2.5–8 mm;

pistillate spikes 3–7 × 1.5–6 mm;

staminate spikes 3–10 × 0.5–1.5 mm, inconspicuous.

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.

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.

light green becoming dark brown and glossy, 1.5–2.2 × 0.7–1.1 mm;

beak 0.2–0.4(–0.5) mm.

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

ellipsoid-obovoid.

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.

pistillate scales white-hyaline, with green or brown midvein, ovate to ovate-circular, 1–2 × 0.7–1.4 mm, shorter than or equaling perigynia;

staminate scales, white-hyaline, with broad hyaline margins, elliptic-oblanceolate, 2.6–4 × 0.7–2 mm, apex obtuse or subacute.

1.3–1.8 mm.

= 56.