Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

brown at base, usually not more than 1 mm wide 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 fibrous;

sheath fronts membranous, often dotted red, transversely rugose;

blades V-shaped in cross section when young, glabrous.

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.

usually paniculate, usually condensed, with 8–20+ spikes, usually more than 15 spikes;

proximal bracts filiform, sheathless;

spikes androgynous, rarely also with some staminate flowers proximally or pistillate, sessile, prophylls absent.

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 or eventually spreading, veined abaxially, veined or veinless adaxially, stipitate, lanceolate to broadly ovate, plano-convex in cross section, base rounded or subcordate, with spongy tissue, margins acutely angled, apex tapering or abruptly contracted to beak, glabrous;

beak bidentate, with abaxial suture.

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

biconvex, smaller than bodies of perigynia;

style deciduous.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

pistillate scales yellow or brown, sometimes with hyaline margins and 3-veined center, apex obtuse, at least distally, to awned.

2.

= 52.