Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 20–100 cm × 0.8–2.5 mm, glabrous.

triquetrous, bulbous, thickened, (20–)30–80(–90) cm × 0.7–1.2 mm, glabrous proximally, becoming trigonous strongly scabridulous on distal angles, clothed with persistent reddish fibers at base.

5–10, V-shaped to flanged V-shaped, 10–70(–90) cm × 2–7 mm, margins and midribs scabridulous or glabrous.

flat to V-shaped, 20–45 cm × 2–4 mm.

spikes 1(–6), densely cylindric, 6–30 × 5–11 mm;

rays 3–12, 0.4–5(–7) cm;

rays and rachis glabrous; usually only 1–2 spikes of inflorescence on elongate rays, other spikes sessile or nearly so;

bracts 4–7, horizontal to slightly ascending, 1–16 cm × 0.5–4 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.5 mm wide.

spike 1, loosely ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, (1.5–)2.5–7 × (1–)1.5–3.5 cm;

rays (1–)2–4, to 6 cm; 2d order rays rarely present, to 2 cm; 3d order rays absent;

bracts (2–) 3, ± horizontal, 1–15(–21) cm × 0.4–3.5 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings hyaline, 0.3–0.4 mm wide.

20–80, ellipsoid, roughly quadrangular, 3–5 × 1–1.4 mm;

floral scales 1–2(–4), appressed, stramineous to golden brown, often red-speckled, medially greenish, 9-ribbed, elliptic to ovate, 2.4–3.4 × 1.8–2.6 mm, apex obtuse.

(3–)8–26, reddish to reddish brown, linear, compressed-quadrangular, 8–18 × (2.4–)2.8–4 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 6–16, laterally reddish, medially green, occasionally red-glandular, laterally strongly 3(–4)-ribbed, medially punctate, 1–3-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, (2.6–)2.8–3.3 × (1.4–)1.6–1.8(–2) mm, apex weakly 3-dentate, mucronulate, with tuft of crystalline prickles, medially glabrous.

anthers 0.4–0.6 mm;

styles 0.7–1.1 mm;

stigmas 1.4–2.1 mm.

anthers 0.8–1.1 mm;

styles 1–1.4 mm;

stigmas 1–1.4 mm.

dark brown to reddish brown, sessile, broadly ellipsoid, 1.8–2.1 × 0.8–1 mm, apex apiculate, surfaces glabrous to finely puncticulate.

brownish, stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 × (0.7–)0.9–1 mm, base whitish, stipe to 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces papillose.