Flora of North America species comparison

(20–)30–100 cm, 2.5–8 mm wide basally, 0.7–1.6 mm wide distally.

to 75 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

sheaths usually loose, proximally green-and-white-striped, not white spotted, with conspicuous transverse veins on back, fronts hyaline, sometimes transversely rugose and red dotted, thin, white or hyaline and fragile at mouth;

ligules 2–7 mm, shorter to longer than wide;

widest leaf blades (3–)4–8 mm wide.

sheath fronts indistinctly spotted pale brown or red, apex convex, membranous, rugose;

ligule rounded, to 3 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm;

blades 60 cm × 5 mm, shorter than flowering stem.

with 5–15 spikes, 1–5 cm × 8–15 mm, occasionally compound, then somewhat larger;

proximal bracts to 3 cm;

spikes with 5–15 ascending to spreading perigynia;

proximal internodes shorter than to 1.5 times as long as proximal spikes.

spicate, 4–7 cm × 15 mm, with 10–15 branches, proximal usually distinct;

proximal internodes to 1.5 cm;

bracts setaceous, proximal 1–3 conspicuous, distal bracts scalelike.

pale green to pale brown, veinless or 3–7(–12)-veined abaxially, rarely veined adaxially, 3.5–5.5 × 2–3 mm, body somewhat spongy, base thickened, margins serrulate distally;

beak 0.6–1.6 mm, apical teeth 0.3–1 mm.

golden brown, 3-veined abaxially, body broadly elliptic to ovate, 2.2–3 × 1.5–2.2 mm, base rounded;

beak 0.5–1.2 mm, 1/3 length of body.

circular to elliptic- circular, 1.8–2.1 × 1.6–2 mm.

red-brown, circular, 1.2–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm, glossy.

scales hyaline or brown with green, 1–3-veined center, ovate, 2.6–4.4 × 1.3–2.4 mm, body shorter to slightly longer than perigynium, apex acuminate to short-awned.

1.5–3 mm.

hyaline, red-brown with narrow colorless margins, awn to 1.5 mm.