Flora of North America species comparison

straight or arcuate, 2–85 cm.

13–40 cm, smooth, sparsely pilose.

of flowering stems shorter than to exceeding culms, to 20 cm × 0.8–5.4 mm;

ligules on distal cauline leaves usually obsolete (except in 414.b Carex viridula subsp. brachyrrhyncha).

blades M-shaped in cross section when young, 2–4.5 mm wide, at least proximal pilose.

peduncles of terminal staminate spikes 0–28 mm;

bracts to 18 cm × 0.6–3.4 mm;

inner band of sheaths concave or truncate.

proximal bracts sheathless or sheath not more than 2 mm;

lateral spikes 6–27 × 4–9 mm, all in distal 1/2 of stem;

terminal spike 8–20 × 1–2.5 mm.

proximal pistillate spikes 1–8, contiguous or proximal distant, sessile or short-pedunculate, globose to short-cylindric, 4–17.5 × 3–11 mm;

terminal staminate spike sessile or pedunculate, 5–25 × 1–3.6 mm.

spreading, yellow to dark olive, 1.8–4.2 × 0.8–2 mm, apex gradually or abruptly narrowed;

beak straight or reflexed less than 20°, 0.3–2.1 mm, scabrous or smooth.

20–30-veined, narrowly ovoid, 4.5–6 × 1.4–2 mm, spongy at base, subglabrous to puberulent proximally, pilose distally, at least some hairs 0.3–0.4 mm;

beak obscure, 0.3–0.5 mm.

1–1.8 × 0.7–1.4 mm.

stipe to 1 mm;

bodies 2.5 × 1.3–1.7 mm, filling only distal part of perigynia.

pistillate scales pale brown to reddish brown, 1.4–3.2 × 0.8–1.7 mm, margins pale, narrow, hyaline; staminate scales reddish brown, lanceolate to ovate, 2.3–5.2 × 0.7–2 mm, margins narrowly pale hyaline, apex obtuse to acuminate.

0.9–3.1 mm.

scales 3-veined, ovate, 2.3–3 × 1.3–2.2 mm, shorter than perigynia, apex acute, sometimes with awn to 0.7 mm.

scales 3-veined, 3.2–5 × 1.2–2 mm.