Flora of North America species comparison

coarse, 1.8–2.6 mm thick, typically with long, unbranched segments from which shoots arise singly every few nodes.

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

sharply trigonous, 8–40 cm, scabrous-angled 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.

basal sheaths dark brown;

sheaths with hyaline inner band, apex not prolonged, glabrous;

ligules 0–1.2 mm;

blades 1.7–3.8 mm wide.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

1.2–2.5 cm;

spikes 3–12, usually unisexual;

staminate spikes lanceoloid;

pistillate spikes compact, ovoid.

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 to nearly black at maturity, essentially veinless adaxially, usually ± stipitate, ovate, plano-convex, 3.1–4.2 × 1.3–1.8 mm, dull;

beak 0.7–1.5 mm, apex ± hyaline, obscurely bidentate.

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

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 reddish brown to nearly purple-black, with broad hyaline margins, ovate, apex acute to acuminate-awned, shiny.

1.7–3.1 mm, apiculus bristly hairy (30X).

= 56.