Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 25–90 cm × 2 mm, hispidulous or glabrous on angles distally.

2–7, flat, (2–)7–22 cm × 2.2–4 mm.

flat, 10–35 cm × 3–10 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.

spikes 1–4(–6), loosely oblong-ovoid, 2–3 × 1–2 cm;

rays 3–10, 1–16 cm; 2d order rays to 3 cm;

rachis hispidulous, prickles slender, 0.1–0.2 mm;

bracts 3–5, ± ascending, flat, 5–35 cm × 0.5–5(–7) mm;

rachilla persistent, wingless.

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.

15–40, linear-lanceoloid, compressed, 6–12 × 1.5–2 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 8–16, light brown with clear border, laterally 2–3-ribbed, ovate, 1.8–2 × 1.2–1.6 mm;

apex entire, emarginate, or mucronulate, mucro at most 0.3 mm.

stamens 1 or 2;

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

styles 0.1 mm;

stigmas 0.1–0.3 mm.

anthers 0.4 mm;

styles 0.6 mm;

stigmas 1 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.

brown, sessile, broadly ellipsoid, 1–1.2 × 0.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.