Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

60–115 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 adaxially green-veined at least in proximal 1/2, Y-shaped white-hyaline band extending at least 10 mm proximal to collar, firm, summits rounded, usually prolonged to 3–9 mm beyond collar;

distal ligules (1.5–)3–13 mm;

blades 4–5(–6) per fertile culm, 20–45 cm × 4–7 mm.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

proximal branches often bearing more than 1 spike, open or dense, green to pale gold, 3.5–8 cm × 10–16 mm;

proximal internode 3–18 mm; 2d internode 3–9 mm;

proximal bracts bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences or occasionally leaflike.

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.

11–35, distant or aggregated, individually distinct or indistinct, lanceoloid to broadly ovoid, 10–18 × 5–7 mm, base acute to attenuate, apex rounded to tapered.

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.

ascending to spreading, green to gold, conspicuously 8–11-veined abaxially, conspicuously 5–8-veined adaxially, ovate, plano-convex, 2.9–4(–4.8) × 1–1.7 mm, 0.5 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.1–0.2(–0.3) mm wide, ciliate-serrulate at least distally;

beak gold or white at tip, usually cylindric, sometimes falcate, unwinged, ± entire for 0.1–0.5 mm, abaxial suture usually inconspicuous, distance from beak tip to achene 1.3–2(–2.8) mm.

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

ovate to elliptic, 1.3–1.6 × 0.8–1.2 mm, (0.3–)0.4–0.5 mm thick.

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 white-hyaline or gold, occasionally tinged brownish or green, with green to gold midstripe, lanceolate or ovate, (2.8–)3.6–4.5 mm, shorter or longer and narrower than perigynia, apex long-acuminate to awned.

= 56.