Flora of North America species comparison

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

(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.

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.

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.

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.5–0.8 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.9 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.

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