Flora of North America species comparison

(24–)35–85 cm.

25–120 cm;

vegetative culms inconspicuous with few leaves clustered at apex.

sheath adaxially white-hyaline, summits U-shaped to rounded;

distal ligules 2–3 mm;

blades (1–)2–4(–5) per fertile culm, flat ± to tip, 7–22 cm × (1.5–)2–3.5(–4) mm.

sheaths conspicuously green-veined adaxially nearly to apex, narrow hyaline band or sharp Y-shaped region at collar, adaxially firm, summits U-shaped, not prolonged;

distal ligules 1.5–4.5 mm;

blades 3–5 per fertile culm, 9–25 cm × 2–3.5 mm.

stiffly erect, usually open, brown, 1.5–4 cm × 10–15 mm;

proximal internode (2.5–)4–10 mm; 2d internode (2.5–)3–6 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike or bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences.

erect, open, yellow-green to brown, 1.5–4 cm × 4–12 mm;

proximal internode 3–12 mm; 2d internode 3–9 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike, with bristle tips, shorter than inflorescences.

5–9, usually loosely aggregated, ovoid to broadly ovoid, 9–14 × 6–8 mm, base attenuate, apex rounded to tapered.

2–8, distinct, ellipsoid to globose, 5–13 × 4–6.5 mm, base acute, apex rounded; staminate portion of well-developed spikes less than 2 mm.

ascending to ascending-spreading, gold to light brown, conspicuously 3–9-veined abaxially, conspicuously 2–5-veined adaxially, lanceolate to ovate, usually flat except over achene, 3.4–4.7(–5.2) × 1.3–2.1 mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.6 mm wide;

beak red-brown or gold at tip, usually cylindric, unwinged, ± entire for 0.3–0.5 mm, sometimes flat, ciliate-serrulate to tip, abaxial suture often with conspicuous white margin, distance from beak tip to achene (1.2–)1.5–2 mm.

spreading, green to light brown, conspicuously 4–many-veined on each face, winged to base, obovate, flat except over achene or somewhat plano-convex, 2.6–4.5 × 1.5–2.7 mm, 0.3–0.45 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.4–0.7 mm wide;

beak pale brown at tip, flat, ciliate-serrulate, abaxial suture with white or brown hyaline margin, distance from beak tip to achene 1–2 mm.

elliptic to broadly ovate, 1.1–1.8 × 0.9–1.2 mm, 0.4–0.5 mm thick.

oblong, 1.3–1.7 × 0.75–1 mm, 0.3–0.4 mm thick;

styles laterally sinuate.

scales reddish gold to brown or greenish, often white-hyaline at tip or base, with pale or green midstripe, narrowly to broadly ovate, 3.4–5 mm, length and width less or greater than perigynia, margin not white-hyaline, apex acute to acuminate.

scales white-hyaline or brown, with green midstripe, broadly lanceolate or ovate, 2.5–3.4 mm, longer and narrower than perigynia, apex acute.

= 62, 64, 66, 68.

= 66.