Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

20–80 cm, 1.7–2 mm wide basally, 0.6–0.9 mm wide distally.

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 tight, green, fronts hyaline;

ligules less than 3 mm, wider than to as wide as long;

widest leaf blades 1–3.5 mm wide.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

capitate, with 4–8 spikes, individual spikes difficult to distinguish, 0.8–2 cm × 6–15 mm;

proximal bracts to 1.5 cm;

spikes with 5–10 ascending or spreading perigynia.

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.

dark brown with green margins, veinless or obscurely veined abaxially, 3.2–5 × 1.4–2.5 mm, margins serrulate distally;

beak 0.7–1.5 mm, apical teeth 0.2–0.6 mm.

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

suborbiculate, 1.7–2.1 × 1.7–1.8 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.

scales brown with green midvein, ovate, 3.8–4.3 × 1.3–2.2 mm, body as long as and slightly narrower than to as wide as perigynium, apex acute to short-awned.

1.5–2.2 mm.

= 56.

= 58, 60.