Flora of North America species comparison

1–1.5 mm thick.

erect, not stiff, 15–90 cm.

5–20 cm, 2–2.5 mm thick at base.

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 to 13 cm, fronts uniformly colorless or pale brown;

blades with inconspicuous median groove, not flattened, terete in cross section, 5–12 cm × 0.4–10 mm, lacking conspicuous air cavities.

2–15 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts usually scalelike.

0.7–2 cm × 4–6 mm, staminate portion to 5 mm.

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.

veinless, stipitate, elliptic, 2.5–3.5 × 1.5 mm, tightly enclosing and distended by achene, base narrowly cuneate, apex acute;

beak erose;

rachilla shorter than fruit.

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

sessile.

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 yellow-brown medially, 1-veined, equaling perigynia in width, usually shorter, apex obtuse or acute, not inrolled, awns absent.

1.5–2 mm.

1.5–2.5 mm.

= 56.