Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

round or trigonous, filiform, wiry, angles proximal to spike blunt or sharp, 5–35 cm, shorter than or longer than leaves.

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.

basal leaf sheaths fibrillose when old;

blades yellow-green or bright green, involute-cylindric, quill-shaped, 6–25 cm, 0.3–0.7 mm wide near base.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

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.

7–30 × 3–7 mm, staminate portion 4–14 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.

(2–)5–18, appressed to ascending, white to gold, obovate to orbiculate, 1.9–4.8 × 1.3–2 mm, body conspicuously hirsute or pubescent, at least distal 1/4 (occasionally only proximal to beak);

beak 0–0.8 mm, style base often conspicuously exserted from beak;

rachilla present.

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

obovate to elliptic, 1.5–3.3 × 1.1–1.9 mm.

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 pale red-brown with white or gold margins, broadly obovate, 2.3–4.5(–6.5) × 1.7–4 mm, shorter or longer than perigynia, apex obtuse to short-awned.

scales red-brown with broad, white margins, broadly obovate, apex obtuse.

± black.

= 56.