Flora of North America species comparison

phyllopodic, with dead leaf remains at base, 5–35 cm.

to 80 cm.

blades 1–2.5 mm wide, margins sometimes involute, scabrid at tip.

blades 3–8 mm wide.

proximal bracts 0.5-2 cm, much shorter than inflorescences;

lateral spikes 6–15 × 3.5–5 mm, with 2–10 perigynia;

terminal spikes 6–20 × 1–2.5 mm.

with 3–5 spikes;

peduncles of proximal spikes exserted more than 1 cm;

proximal bracts with blade (10–) 15–50 mm, sheaths cylindric to ± expanded to mouth, 20–37 mm, mouth with narrow, ± purple band at top, usually Y- or V-shaped, mouth 0.7–1.8 mm wide.

2.5–4.5 × 1.6–2 mm, apex rounded;

beak absent.

ascending, usually purple or red-brown, veins usually indistinct, ovate to elliptic, 3.2–5.5 × 0.9–1.7(–2) mm, margins flat, less than 1/2 mature achene width, margins setose-ciliate distally, usually at least sparsely hispidulous to shortly setose;

beak ± distinct, apex brown to purple, setose-ciliate, distance from beak tip to achene apex usually more than 2 mm.

obovoid, body 1.5–2 × 0.8–1 mm.

scales circular-ovate, 3–4.8 × 2.2–3.4 mm, long as and wider than perigynia, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate.

scales purple or brown with pale, usually indistinctly veined, ovate to elliptic, 2.3–3.8 × 0.8–1.7 mm, midvein and margins ciliate, apex obtuse to short-awned.

scales oblanceolate to obovate, 3.2–4.8 × 1.5–2 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

scales purple or reddish brown with pale midvein, ovate to obovate, 3–4.4 × 1–1.4 mm, margins slightly ciliate, apex obtuse.

2–2.5 mm.

1.5–3 mm.

spikes pistillate or often androgynous, purple to brown, proximal spikes pendent to erect, 14–25 × 4–7 mm.

spike staminate or androgynous, ± erect, 10–21 × 4.5–6 mm.

= 52.