Flora of North America species comparison

15–70 cm.

to 90 cm.

sheaths adaxially white-hyaline, summits U-shaped, occasionally shortly prolonged beyond collar;

distal ligules 0.8–1 mm;

blades 3–5 per fertile culm, often folded, 3.5–20 cm × 1–3 mm.

stiffly erect, open or spikes loosely aggregate, if open, sometimes arching, whitish to pale brown, 1.5–5 cm × 5–10 mm;

proximal internode 5–10 mm; 2d internode 4–8 mm;

proximal bracts scalelike to bristlelike, shorter than inflorescences.

with 3–7 spikes;

peduncles of proximal spikes exserted (0.5–)1 cm;

proximal bracts with blades 12–80 mm, sheaths cylindric, 12–58 mm, mouth not purple-banded, 0.6–2 mm wide.

3–5, distant, distinct, ovoid-ellipsoid, 7–14 × 3–8 mm, base tapered to attenuate, apex acute.

essentially erect, pale yellowish brown, often with green beak, 8–10-veined abaxially, veinless or indistinctly 8–10-veined adaxially, ovate to broadly ovate, plano-convex or thickly concavo-convex, 3.8–4.8 × 1.4–2.2 mm, 0.5–0.6 mm thick, margin flat, including wing 0.2–0.4 mm wide, ciliate-serrulate at least on distal body;

beak white-hyaline at tip, flat, ± ciliate-serrulate to the bidentate apex, abaxial suture inconspicuous or white-hyaline, distance from beak tip to achene 1.4–2.2 mm.

ascending to spreading, green to purple, indistinctly or distinctly 9-20-veined, (3–)3.5–5.5 × 0.9–1.6(–1.8) mm, usually without flat margins around achene, usually glabrous, margins often ciliate-setose distally;

beak 0.5–1.5 mm, tip dark purple, often ciliate-setose, distance from perigynium beak tip to achene apex less than 2.5 mm.

ovate-oblong, 1.7–2.1 × 1.2–1.4 mm, 0.5–0.6 mm thick.

± obovoid, 1.3–2 × 0.7–1.1 mm.

scales whitish to yellowish, with 1-veined, green to gold midstripe, or white almost throughout at maturity, ovate, 4.4–6 mm, longer and as wide as and concealing perigynia, margin hyaline, 0.3–0.7 mm wide, apex acute.

scales red-brown to dark purple with paler midvein, ovate to obovate, 1.9–3.5 × 1–1.7 mm, apex acute or obtuse.

spikes pistillate or androgynous, erect to pendent, purple or purple and brown, 12–32 × 5–10 mm;.

spike staminate, ± erect, 11–66 × 3–8 mm.

scales gold to purple brown with pale, 2.9–4.5 × 0.7–1.6 mm, midvein ciliate, margins scarious, apex obtuse.

(1.9–)2–3 mm.

= 68.