Flora of North America species comparison

20–75 cm, glabrescent.

to 30 cm.

sheaths sparsely pilose, but usually densely pilose at mouth;

ligules shorter than wide;

blades 1.5–4 mm wide, glabrescent, or often persistently pilose proximally.

blades 1.5–3.5 mm wide.

lateral spikes approximate or proximal distant, 6–15 × 4–5 mm;

terminal spike gynecandrous, at least 1/2 of flowers pistillate, 14–25 mm.

1–12 cm, proximal internodes 5–50 mm;

peduncles of proximal spikes to 5 cm;

proximal bracts with blade 0–15(–40) mm, sheath cylindric, (3–)4–22 mm, mouth 0.5–1.2 mm wide.

(2–)3–4(–5);

lateral spikes pistillate, the proximal inclined or pendent, 6–21 × 3–6 mm;

terminal spike gynecandrous, rarely staminate, pendent, 8–10 × 3.5–5 mm.

ascending, 5–18-veined, obovate-circular, ± trigonous in cross section, 2–3.5 × 1.1–2.1 mm, not papillose, glabrous or sparsely pilose;

beak absent.

ascending, pale brown proximally, black or dark brown distally, veins indistinct, lanceolate, 3.3–5.5 × 0.9–1.3(–1.4) mm, margins ciliate, glabrous;

beak indistinct.

1.6–2.3 × 0.9–1.5 mm.

obovoid, 1.5–2 × 0.9–1 mm.

scales ovate, 1.9–3(–3.5) × (0.8–)0.9–1.5(–1.7) mm, shorter than to equaling perigynia, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes with awn to 0.5 mm.

scales black or brown with pale, weak midvein and very narrowly scarious margins, ovate, 2.8–4.2 × 1.4–2.4 mm, apex obtuse to acuminate.

scales oblong-obovate, 2.7–5.3 mm, apex acuminate or short-awned.

scales brown to black with pale midvein and scarious margins, oblong-obovate to obovate, 3–5 × 1.4–1.8 mm.

1.5–2.2 mm.

1.2–2.7 mm.