Flora of North America species comparison

coarse, 1.8–3 mm thick, typically with long, unbranched segments from which shoots arise singly every few nodes.

sharply trigonous, (10–)25–80(–100) cm, scabrous-angled distally.

6–34 cm, scabrous distally;

bases weakly or not fibrous.

basal sheaths dark brown to nearly black;

sheaths with hyaline inner band, apex not prolonged, glabrous;

ligules 0.6–2.6 mm;

blades 1–3(–3.5) mm wide.

blades pale green or glaucous, equaling or usually exceeding stems, 1.8–3.8 mm wide, coriaceous, glabrous abaxially, glabrous or scabrous adaxially.

elongate, 0.9–4 cm;

spikes 5–18(–25), usually unisexual; staminate spikes lanceoloid; pistillate spikes ovoid.

with both staminate and pistillate spikes;

peduncles of basal spikes erect, short, stout;

peduncles of terminal staminate spikes 2–2.5 mm;

proximal nonbasal bracts leaflike, equaling or slightly exceeding inflorescences.

proximal pistillate spikes 2–6 (basal spikes 1–4);

cauline spikes overlapping, with 1–4 perigynia;

terminal staminate spikes 5.8–12.7 × 1.5–2.2 mm.

brown to nearly black at maturity, essentially veinless, usually stipitate, ovate, plano-convex, (2.2–)2.6–3.7 × 1.2–1.9 mm, dull;

beak 0.7–1.2 mm, 1/4–1/2 length of body, apex ± hyaline, obscurely bidentate.

green, often with reddish brown tinge, 12–15veined, conspicuous to at least mid body, ellipsoid, 4–5.3 × 1.4–2.2 mm;

beak often bent, occasionally straight, pale green, 0.8–1.9 mm, ciliate-serrulate, apical teeth 0.2–0.5 mm.

brown, ellipsoid, obtusely trigonous in cross section, 2.1–2.6 × 1.3–2.1 mm.

scales straw colored to pale reddish brown, with hyaline margins, ovate, apex acute to acuminate-awned, dull to ± satiny.

(1.8–)2.2–3.9 mm, apiculus bristly hairy (30X).

2.3–3.3 mm.

pistillate scales reddish brown, with similarly colored or narrow white margins, ovate, 3.6–6 × 1.2–2.2 mm, apex cuspidate to acuminate (awned on some basal spikes); staminate scales lanceolate, 3.7–5.9 × 1.4–2.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate.

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