Flora of North America species comparison

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

densely tufted, ascending, lax or, occasionally, decumbent, 13–78 cm × 0.8–1 mm.

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

basal sheaths purple or purple tinged;

sheaths 2–42 mm;

blades ascending or lax, erect, green or yellow-green, midrib developed adaxially, 2 lateral veins abaxially, 19–38 cm × 1–5 mm, blades of overwintering leaves smooth.

0.5–11.2 cm × 0.5–4 mm, angles of bract sheath denticulate;

bract blade of distal lateral spikes linear, narrower than spikes, not concealing them;

widest bract blade of distalmost lateral spike 0.5–3.4 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.

peduncles proximal pistillate spikes to 11 cm, distal spike sessile; staminate spike 0.5–10.6 cm.

(3–)4(–5) per culm;

lateral spikes 5–27 × 3–4 mm;

internode between proximal scales in proximal spike 1.1–3.2(–4.8) mm;

terminal spike linear, 11–21 × 1–2.2 mm.

2.5–4.5 × 1.6–2 mm, apex rounded;

beak absent.

4–12 per spike, closely overlapping, aggregated, ascending, conspicuously (22–)25–32-veined, elliptic-obovate, 2.8–3 × 1.5–1.8 mm, 1.8–2.7 times long as wide;

beak abruptly bent, 0.2–0.8 mm.

obovoid, 2.6–2.8 × 1.3–1.6 mm.

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

scales 2.8–3 × 1–1.2 mm, apex acute to aristate, awn to 1 mm.

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

scales 3.5–4 × 1.2–1.5 mm, margins hyaline, purple-brown or brownish purple tinged, apex acute.

2–2.5 mm.

2.6–3 mm.

= 52.

= 33, 38, 40.