Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 20–50(–85) cm × 1–2(–4) mm, glabrous.

2–7, flat, (2–)7–22 cm × 2.2–4 mm.

3–6(–10), 10–40(–55) cm × 1.5–4(–5) mm, V- to inversely W-shaped.

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.

spike 1, densely oblong-ovoid often with small basal branches, 8–16 × 4–12(–16) mm;

rays 4–8(–11), 0.5–3.5(–8.5) cm;

bracts (3–)4–6(–10), ascending at (30–)45°, flat to broadly V-shaped, (4–)14–30(–55) cm × 1–5 mm, scabridulous along margins only;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.2–0.3 mm wide.

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.

40–120, oblong-lanceoloid, subterete, 2.2–4(–4.5) × 0.8–1.6 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 2–5, appressed, brown to stramineous, or fuscous and lustrous, medially greenish and 1(–3)-ribbed, laterally greenish to yellowish white and 3–4-ribbed, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.8–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, subcoriacous.

stamens 1 or 2;

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

styles 0.1 mm;

stigmas 0.1–0.3 mm.

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.5–0.8 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.9 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, oblong-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm, base cuneate, apex subacute, surfaces papillose.