Flora of North America species comparison

30–120(–140) cm;

vegetative culms with few leaves clustered at apex.

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

sheaths adaxially conspicuously green-veined nearly to collar, with a narrow hyaline band or sharp Y-shaped hyaline region at collar; adaxially firm, summits U-shaped, finely papillose;

distal ligules 1.8–4.4(–6) mm;

blades 2–4(–6) per fertile culm, 8–30 cm × 2–4.5 mm.

sheath fronts spotted red-brown or pale brown, apex truncate or short-convex, membranous or hyaline, rugose;

ligule retuse or rounded, to 2 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm;

blades 120 cm × 5 mm, longer than flowering stem.

± erect, usually open, green to brown, 1–4.5(–6) cm × 5–14 mm;

proximal internode 1–14 mm; 2d internode 3–8 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike, often with bristle tips.

spicate, (3–)7–10 cm × 15 mm, with 10–15 branches, the proximal branches distinctly separate; the proximal internode to 25 mm;

bracts setaceous, those subtending at least the proximal lateral branches conspicuous.

3–10, distinct, ellipsoid to ovoid, 6–13(–17) × 3.8–7 mm, base rounded or obtuse, apex obtuse to broadly acute; staminate portion 2 mm or less.

appressed-ascending, green to drab brown, conspicuously 5–many-veined on each face, obovate, flat except over achene, 3–4.6 × 1.6–2.6(–2.8) mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.5–0.8 mm wide;

beak green to brown at tip, flat, broadly triangular, ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture with conspicuous white hyaline margin, distance from beak tip to achene 1.4–2.2 mm.

green to pale brown, veinless on both faces or 3-veined abaxially, body ovate or elliptic, 2–3.2 × 1.3–1.8 mm, base obtuse;

beak 0.8–1.2 mm, 1/3–1/2 length of perigynium.

oblong, 1.3–1.7 × 0.7–1 mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick, apiculum less than 0.4 mm;

style straight.

red-brown, ovate, 1.2–1.4 × 1 mm, glossy.

scales white-hyaline, becoming pale silvery brown with age, with pale or green center, broadly lanceolate, 2.2–3.7 mm, shorter and narrower than perigynia, apex obtuse.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

= 58, 62.

= 52.