Flora of North America species comparison

basally cormlike, trigonous, (15–)30–100 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 4–25(–35) cm, glabrous.

flat to V-shaped, 10–65 cm × 3–9 mm, adaxial surface, margins minutely scabridulous.

flat, 5–20 cm × 1.5–3 mm.

spikes densely globose to globose-ovoid, 8–17 mm wide;

rays 3–12, 2–12 cm, scaberous adaxially especially distally;

rachis 4–8 mm;

bracts (3–)4–7, ascending at 30(–45)°, flat, 5–35 cm × 2–9 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5–0.7 mm wide.

heads ± digitate, 12–22 mm diam.;

rays 3–6, 1–6 cm;

bracts 1–4, ± horizontal, flat, 1.5–15 cm × 1.5–3 mm.

50–100, oblong-lanceoloid, ± terete-quadrangular, (3.5–)4–7 × 1–1.4 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 3–5, appressed, stramineous to brownish, 4-ribbed laterally, oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4.5 × 1–1.8 mm, membranous, apex entire or emarginate with mucro to 0.3 mm.

6–12, oblong-lanceoloid, compressed, 5–10 × 2.8–3.2 mm;

floral scales 8–28, closely imbricate, stramineous to light brown or clear (marginal band bright red, spikelet thus appearing dark margined), laterally ribless, oblong to ovate, 2.5–3 × 1.6–1.9 mm.

anthers 0.4–0.8 mm;

styles 0.5–0.6 mm;

stigmas 1 mm.

stamens 2(–3);

anthers 0.3 mm, connective apex reddish, subulate, 0.1–0.2 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 2.2–3.1 mm.

brown, ± stipitate, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.3 × 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm (1/2 length of floral scales), apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, network of ridges forming isodiametric or square cells, sessile or stipitate, obovoid to ovoid, 1–1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, stipe, if present, 0.1 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.