Flora of North America species comparison

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

very slender, nodding, 15–60 cm, exceeding leaves, scabrid.

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.

basal sheaths pale brown abaxially, inner band white-hyaline, truncate at summit;

ligules broader than long;

blades mid to dark green, flat, 15–30 × 0.75–1.5 mm, scabrid.

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.

1.5–2.5 cm × 3–5 mm;

proximal bract 5–20 mm;

distal bracts scalelike.

2–4(–5), proximal separate, distal aggregate, globose, 3–5 × 2–4 mm.

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.

1–6, pale green, often brown or even purplish in age, plump, 2.25–3 × 1.3–1.5 mm, membranous, shiny.

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

red-brown, oblong-elliptic, 1.5–1.75 × 1 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.

scales white-hyaline with green center, ovate, narrower and shorter than perigynia, apex acuminate.

1.5–3 mm.

= 70.