Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, easily compressed, 30–75 cm × 1–5 mm, basally soft, glabrous.

trigonous, 8–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

1–3, usually withered at anthesis, V-shaped, 5–35 cm × 2–8 mm.

flat or V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 mm.

spikes loosely ovoid, 5–25 × 8–22 mm;

rays (3–)5–11, 0.4–20 cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–28 mm;

bracts 3–7, horizontal to ascending at 30°, (2–)8–35 cm × (1–)4–10 mm.

heads digitate, 8–18 mm diam.;

rays 4–9, 1–8 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–2 cm;

bracts 3–5, ± horizontal, flat, 1–20 cm × 1–4 mm.

6–60, linear to lanceoloid, 7–30 × 2–3 mm, margins appearing serrate;

floral scales 6–24, loosely overlapping, light brown to reddish brown, with conspicuous clear border, medially greenish, 5–7-ribbed, ovate-obovate, (1.4–)1.7–2.3 × 1.4–2 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

commonly proliferous, 2–6, linear to oblong, compressed, 3–24 × 2–2.5 mm;

floral scales 3–20(–50), reddish brown, laterally 1–3-ribbed, ovate, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

stamens 2–3;

anthers 0.4 mm, connective apex reddish, to 0.1 mm;

styles 0.1–0.3 mm;

stigmas 0.7–1.5 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 1.5 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 1.5 mm.

jet black to dark reddish brown, sessile, obovoid, broadly rounded, 1.2–1.6 × 0.6–1.1 mm, surfaces minutely punctate.

reddish brown, sessile, obovoid, 0.8–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, scarcely apiculate, surfaces glabrous.