Flora of North America species comparison

coarse, 1.8–2.6 mm thick, typically with long, unbranched segments from which shoots arise singly every few nodes.

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

sharply trigonous, 8–40 cm, scabrous-angled distally.

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.

basal sheaths dark brown;

sheaths with hyaline inner band, apex not prolonged, glabrous;

ligules 0–1.2 mm;

blades 1.7–3.8 mm wide.

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.

1.2–2.5 cm;

spikes 3–12, usually unisexual; staminate spikes lanceoloid; pistillate spikes compact, ovoid.

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.

dark brown to nearly black at maturity, essentially veinless adaxially, usually ± stipitate, ovate, plano-convex, 3.1–4.2 × 1.3–1.8 mm, dull;

beak 0.7–1.5 mm, apex ± hyaline, obscurely bidentate.

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

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales dark reddish brown to nearly purple-black, with broad hyaline margins, ovate, apex acute to acuminate-awned, shiny.

1.7–3.1 mm, apiculus bristly hairy (30X).

= 52.