Flora of North America species comparison

1–3, trigonous to roundly trigonous, (30–)40–65(–95) cm × (1–)2–3 mm.

trigonous, (2–)4–30 cm × 0.4–2 mm, glabrous.

(1–)5–10, V-shaped, (10–)30–45(–70) cm × 3–7 mm.

1–5, (blades often absent, base of culm with 1 reddish sheath bearing minute blade tooth 1–2 mm), (3–)10–18 cm × (0.5–)1.5–2(–2.6) mm.

heads loosely to densely globose-ovoid, (6–)10–12(–20) mm diam.;

rays 6–10(–12), 1–8(–12) cm; 2d order rays 1–4, 5–15(–23) mm;

bracts (5–)6–8(–10), ascending at 45–60(–75)°, V-shaped, (5–)15–40(–55) cm × (1–)3–7 mm.

spikes 1–3, ovoid or ± digitate, 10–30 × 8–26 mm;

rays 1–4(–6), 0.5–3(–9) cm;

bracts 2–3, approximately horizontal, 1–12 cm × 0.5–2.5 mm.

(1–)30–50(–65), greenish white, linear to broadly ellipsoid, flattened, 4–6.5 × 1.8–3.2 mm;

floral scales (10–)16–20(–26), laterally clear, pale green, off-white, or light brown, medially green or light brown, laterally weakly 1-ribbed, medially 2-ribbed, basally 2-keeled, oblong-lanceolate, (1.2–)1.4–1.6(–1.8) × (0.7–)0.8–1 mm, apex acute, mucronate, distally glabrous or scabridulous.

1–6, compressed, oblong-lanceoloid, 5–15 × (2–)2.3–2.8 mm;

floral scales (4–)8–24, closely imbricate, laterally yellow to yellowish brown, margins light brown to clear, medially green, laterally ribless, medially 2–3-ribbed, 2-keeled basally, ovate, (1.5–)1.8–2.2 × 1.8 mm, apex obtuse.

stamen 1;

anthers ellipsoid, 0.6–0.7 mm, connective apex acute, 0.1–0.2 mm;

styles 0.2–0.4 mm;

stigmas 0.4–0.6 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.4 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.5–1 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8 mm.

brown, stipitate, ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid, broadly rounded or contracted basally, gradually tapered toward apex, 0.9–1.1 × 0.3–0.4 mm, stipe 0.1 mm, apex acute, surfaces finely reticulate.

jet black to reddish brown, slightly stipitate, obovoid, 1–1.2 × 0.8 mm, apex apiculate, surface with network of rectangular longitudinally elongate cells and transverse undulations.