Flora of North America species comparison

1–15, trigonous, 7–30 cm × 1.2–2.5 mm, soft (flattened in pressing), glabrous.

trigonous, 10–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

2–7, flat, (2–)7–22 cm × 2.2–4 mm.

flat to V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 mm.

heads dense, 7–17 mm diam.; when rays short, heads sessile or nearly so, then densely irregularly lobate, 12–35 mm diam.;

rays 1–5, 2–32 mm;

bracts 2–4, longest bract erect or nearly so, appearing as continuation of culm, other bracts horizontal to ascending, 1–22 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm, margins and keel minutely scabridulous.

heads digitate, 10–40 mm diam.;

rays 5–12, 1–12 cm; 2d order rays 1–3 cm;

bracts 3–5, horizontal, flat to V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 1–2 mm.

30–120, greenish brown to purplish brown, oblong-ellipsoid, compressed, (2–)3–5(–6) × 0.8–1.2 mm;

floral scales (6–)12–20(–30), laterally clear margins, stramineous to deep purple, medially greenish, stramineous, or purplish, laterally ribless, medially 3-ribbed, obovate to orbiculate, 0.6–0.8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex mucronulate.

(1–)2–4(–6), oblong to linear, compressed, 5–25 × 2.8–3.6 mm;

floral scales 20–60, stramineous or reddish green, laterally weakly 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3 × 1–1.8 mm.

stamens 1 or 2;

anthers ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.1 mm, connective not prolonged;

styles 0.1 mm;

stigmas 0.1–0.3 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 1–1.3 mm;

styles 0.6 mm;

stigmas 1.5 mm.

light brown, obovoid-ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.3–0.4 mm (as long as subtending scale), base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces finely reticulate, papillose.

reddish brown, sessile, ovoid, 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces glabrous.