Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

5–40 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.

blades 5–15(–25) cm × 1–2.5(–3.5) 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 leaflike, exceeding inflorescences, sheaths to 10 mm;

lateral spikes with 9–30 perigynia, approximate or proximal distant, dense, 7–15 × 3–5 mm;

middle internodes 0.3–0.7 mm;

terminal spike usually gynecandrous, with at least 1/3 of flowers staminate, rarely entirely staminate, sessile or short-pedunculate, 6–15(–20) mm, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 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-obovate, 2–3 × 1.2–1.8 mm, densely papillose.

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

elliptic-circular, 1.4–2 × 1–1.5 mm.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales ascending, medium to dark brown with paler midvein and hyaline margins, ovate-circular, 1.7–2.7 × 1–1.9 mm, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes shortly mucronate.

scales brown with paler midvein and hyaline margins, oblong-ovate, (2–)2.5–3.7 mm, apex obtuse to acute.

= 52.