Flora of North America species comparison

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

15–120 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.

sheath white hyaline or green-veined, summits usually U-shaped, often prolonged to 4 mm beyond collar;

distal ligules 1–2.5(–4) mm;

blades 3–4(–5) per fertile culm, 10–30 cm × 1.2–4.2(–6.5) mm.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

dense or open, gold to dark brown, 0.9–2.8 cm × 6.7–16.3 mm;

proximal internode 0.7–4.5(–9) mm; 2d internode 0.7–4 mm;

proximal bracts usually scalelike, sometimes bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences.

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.

3–9(–13), distinct or densely aggregated and individually indistinct, ovoid to broadly ovoid, 4.4–10 × 3.2–8.7 mm, appearing coarse-textured, base acute to rounded, apex rounded.

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, golden brown or coppery to blackish, conspicuously (0–)2–9-veined abaxially, conspicuously 0–4(–7)-veined adaxially, veins reaching top of achene, ovate to elliptic-ovate, plano-convex, 2.8–4.7(–5.1) × 1.1–2.3 mm, 0.5–0.7 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.4 mm wide, sometimes filled with pithlike tissue near base, ciliate-serrulate at least on distal body, occasionally with white margin, with metallic sheen;

beak red-brown to black at tip, sometimes white-hyaline, cylindric, unwinged, ± entire for 0.4–0.7 mm, suture usually inconspicuous, distance from beak tip to achene 1.5–2.2(–2.8) mm.

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

elliptic to broadly ovate, 1.2–1.9 × 0.7–1.4 mm, 0.4–0.6 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 dark gold or red-brown to dark brown, usually with pale or green midstripe, ovate, 2.2–3.7(–4.2) mm, less than or equaling perigynia in length and width, margin white, 0–0.15 mm wide, apex obtuse to long-acute.

= 56.

= 74.