Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

erect or procumbent, to 20 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.

blades 2–6 cm × 1–2.5 mm.

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.

proximal bracts scalelike or leaflike, sheathless or with sheaths to 5 mm;

lateral spikes with 5–25 perigynia, usually fastigiate, occasionally proximal distant, dense, 5–12 × 3.5–5.5 mm;

middle internodes 0.2–0.4 mm;

terminal spike gynecandrous, usually less than 1/3 of flowers staiminate, sessile, 6–11 mm, 1.1–1.8 mm wide in staminate portion.

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.

ascending, white, elliptic-ovate, 1.8–3 × 1–1.8 mm, densely papillose.

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

obovate, 1.4–2 × 1–1.6 mm.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales ascending, ovate-circular, 1.9–2.5(–3) × 1.1–1.7 mm, apex obtuse, sometimes slightly mucronate.

scales usually black or, rarely, dark brown with green midvein and hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, 2–3.5 mm, apex obtuse.

= 52.

= ca. 52.