Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

15–40 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.

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.

with staminate and pistillate flowers on same plant;

spikes 3–8;

lateral spikes pistillate, often with a few staminate flowers at apex, 1–5 basal, 1–2 distal spikes, 15–45 × 4–6 mm;

terminal spikes staminate, usually with a few pistillate flowers at base, 10–40 × 2.5–4 mm.

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.

4–5 × 1–1.5 mm, yellow-green, apex rounded;

beak brown, 0.3–0.5 mm.

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

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

leaf blades 20–80 cm × 4–8 mm, smooth, glaucous and finely papillose abaxially, green and scabrid adaxially.

scales obovate, 4–5.5 × 2–3.5 mm, rounded or emarginate, apex mucronate to awned.

scales oblanceolate to obovate, 4–6 × 1.9–2.6 mm, apex obtuse and mucronate.

= 52.