Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

20–90 cm, pilose.

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.

ligules shorter than wide;

blades 1.5–4 mm wide, pilose on both surfaces.

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.

lateral spikes 8–18 × 3–5.5 mm, usually crowded;

terminal spike gynecandrous, at least 1/2 of flowers pistillate, 10–20(–25) 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.

ascending, weakly 9–18-veined, obovate-circular, ± trigonous in cross section, 2–3 × 1.1–1.6 mm, not papillose, glabrous;

beak absent.

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

1.6–2.1(–2.6) × 0.8–1.3 mm.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales ovate, 1.8–2.5 × 0.7–1.3 mm, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate, shorter than perigynia.

scales ovate to lanceolate, 2.1–5.2 mm, apex acuminate.

1.3–2.2 mm.

= 52.

= 52.