Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

erect, strict, stoutish (2.5–4 mm at base), (15–)20–50 cm.

sheath fronts spotted red-brown or pale brown, apex truncate or short-convex, membranous or hyaline, rugose;

ligule retuse or rounded, to 2 mm, free limb to 0.2 mm;

blades 120 cm × 5 mm, longer than flowering stem.

sheaths pale brown abaxially, inner band hyaline, concave at summit;

ligules slightly longer than wide, acutish;

blades pale gray-green to bluish green, flat, 10–30 cm × 2–4 mm, subequal to shorter than culms.

spicate, (3–)7–10 cm × 15 mm, with 10–15 branches, the proximal branches distinctly separate; the proximal internode to 25 mm;

bracts setaceous, those subtending at least the proximal lateral branches conspicuous.

1.5–3(–4) cm × 8–14 mm;

proximal bracts shorter than to exceeding spikes;

distal bracts scalelike.

3–6, gynecandrous, closely approximate, proximal spikes only slightly separate, containing 15–30 perigynia, ovoid to short-oblong, 6–10 × 4–6 mm;

terminal spike staminate for less than 1/2 of length, not or scarcely clavate.

green to pale brown, veinless on both faces or 3-veined abaxially, body ovate or elliptic, 2–3.2 × 1.3–1.8 mm, base obtuse;

beak 0.8–1.2 mm, 1/3–1/2 length of perigynium.

appressed-ascending, gray-green, sometimes dark brown in age, obscurely many-veined faces, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3 × 1.5 mm, widest near middle, membranous;

beak nearly entire or few marginal teeth.

red-brown, ovate, 1.2–1.4 × 1 mm, glossy.

yellow-brown, oblong-obovate, 1.5 × 1–1.25 mm, dull to slightly glossy.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales dull green-white, often red-brown tinged, midvein green, margins white-hyaline, ovate, subequal to somewhat concealing perigynia, apex cuspidate to acute.

= 52.

= 56.