Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 35–170 cm × 2–4.7 mm, scabrid on angles.

trigonous, 25–50(–80) cm × 0.8–2.6 mm, glabrous.

4–12, with readily visible cross ribs especially on abaxial surface, flat to V-shaped, 25–100 cm × 2.4–11 mm.

flat to V-shaped, 30–80 cm × 3–10 mm.

heads digitate, globose, 1–1.7 cm diam.;

rays 3–5, 1–7 cm; 2d order rays absent;

bracts 3–5, horizontal to ascending at 30°, with prominent cross ribs, V-shaped, (4–)11–35(–48) cm × 1–6.7 mm (longest 1/2 as long as culm); 2d order bracts absent.

spikes ovoid, 1.5–3 × 1.5–3 cm;

rays 4–7, 1–10 cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 0.5–2 cm, rays often not elongate, inflorescence then capitate, 2–5 cm diam.;

bracts 4–8, horizontal to ascending at 30°, flat to V-shaped, longest 6–35 cm × (1.5–)4–8 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide.

10–40, oblong to linear-lanceoloid, 5–1.8 × 1.5–2.2 mm;

floral scales 18–42, pale grayish green, turning brownish, proximally greenish or brownish, 2-keeled, weakly to distinctly 1-ribbed, proximal 1/2 2-ribbed, ovate, 1.4–1.6 × 0.9–1.4 mm, acute (sometimes mucronulate), apically glabrous, occasionally scabridulous.

(10–)20–60, reddish brown, flattened elliptic in cross section, linear-lanceoloid, 6–22 cm × (1–)2–3(–4) mm;

floral scales deciduous, 6–16, medially greenish, laterally reddish brown to brown, medially 3–5-ribbed, laterally 3–5-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate to ± orbiculate, 2.5–3 × 1.4–1.8 mm, apex acute to obtuse and mucronulate.

stamens 1–2;

anthers 0.8–1.2 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8 mm.

anthers 0.7–1.8 mm;

styles (0.3–)1.2–2.8 cm;

stigmas (1–)2–3 mm.

brown, slightly stipitate, oblong-ellipsoid (2.4–3.9 times longer than wide), 1–1.2 × 0.3–0.5 mm, apical beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces glabrous.

brownish to black, stipitate or sessile, ellipsoid to obovoid or oblong, 1.3–2 × 0.75–1(–1.1) mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces coarsely punctate.

, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous.