Flora of North America species comparison

short or inconspicuous.

in dense tufts, 13–70(–100) cm.

straight or arcuate, 2–85 cm.

not green, usually glaucous, cauline blades 2–27 cm × 1.2–5.3 mm.

of flowering stems shorter than to exceeding culms, to 20 cm × 0.8–5.4 mm;

ligules on distal cauline leaves usually obsolete (except in 414.b Carex viridula subsp. brachyrrhyncha).

peduncles of terminal staminate spikes 0–28 mm;

bracts to 18 cm × 0.6–3.4 mm;

inner band of sheaths concave or truncate.

proximal pistillate spikes 1–8, contiguous or proximal distant, sessile or short-pedunculate, globose to short-cylindric, 4–17.5 × 3–11 mm;

terminal staminate spike sessile or pedunculate, 5–25 × 1–3.6 mm.

olive to yellowish green or at age yellowish brown, elliptic- or oblong-ovoid to obovoid, 2.2–3.1(–3.7) × 1.2–1.8(–2) mm, 1.4–2.2(–2.4) times as long as thick;

beak 0.1–0.3 mm, orifice nearly entire.

spreading, yellow to dark olive, 1.8–4.2 × 0.8–2 mm, apex gradually or abruptly narrowed;

beak straight or reflexed less than 20°, 0.3–2.1 mm, scabrous or smooth.

1.8–2.3 × 1–1.4 mm.

1–1.8 × 0.7–1.4 mm.

peduncle of terminal spike 0.1–3.5 cm;

bracts (middle and distal ones) overtopping spikes;

ligule of proximal bract (2–)3–17.5(–26) mm;

longest bract blade (per plant) of distal lateral spike 4.1–15.8 cm.

spikes usually arising from distal 1/2 of culms, 6–27(–32) × 3–6 mm.

spike 6–35(–43) mm, shorter than to barely exceeding and overlapping distal lateral spike.

scales ovate or ovateoblong, 1.4–2.5(–2.9) × 0.8–1.4 mm.

scales with apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate.

1.6–2.9 mm.

0.9–3.1 mm.

pistillate scales pale brown to reddish brown, 1.4–3.2 × 0.8–1.7 mm, margins pale, narrow, hyaline; staminate scales reddish brown, lanceolate to ovate, 2.3–5.2 × 0.7–2 mm, margins narrowly pale hyaline, apex obtuse to acuminate.

= 36, 38, 40, 42.