Flora of North America species comparison

to 100 cm × 2 mm, scabrous.

often slightly curved, weak, 2–10 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.

sheaths pale to mid brown abaxially, loose, inner band white-hyaline, concave at summit;

ligules shorter than wide;

blades usually pale to gray-green, flat at base, involute distally, 1–5 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm, exceeding culms.

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.

0.4–1 cm × 3–6 mm;

bracts inconspicuous, shorter than spikes.

1(–2), gynecandrous, closely approximate, containing 7–15 perigynia, obovoid or suborbicular, 4–7 × 4 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.

closely appressed, gray-brown to pale or mid brown, lightly or obscurely several-veined, ovate, 1.5–2 × 1.25 mm, widest near middle, subcoriaceous;

beak short, entire.

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

red-brown, obovate, 1.2 × 0.7–1 mm, dull to slightly glossy.

pale brown, hyaline, awn to 3 mm.

scales chestnut-brown with lighter center and very narrow hyaline margins, broadly ovate, subequal to perigynia, apex obtuse.

= 52.

= 64.