Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, basally tuberous thickened, 15–40 cm × 1–2.5 mm, glabrous.

basally cormlike, trigonous, (10–)20–80 cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous.

flat to V-shaped, 10–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

inversely W-shaped, 20–70 cm × 5–11 mm, adaxial surface, margins minutely scabridulous.

spike 1, densely oblong to ellipsoid, 8–36 × 8–20 mm;

rays 4–12, 10–20 cm;

bracts 3–6, horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped, 3–15 cm × (3–)4–5.8 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings 0.5–0.7 mm wide.

spikes densely ellipsoid to obovoid, 2.5–4.3 × 1.5–3 cm;

rays 5–10, 4–20 cm, glabrous;

rachis 7–14 mm;

bracts 3–8, horizontal to ascending at 45°, flat, 5–35 cm × 2.5–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5 mm wide.

(5–)20–35(–60), linear to oblong, quadrangular; 4–12(–21) × 0.7–1.2 mm, base narrowed to 0.4–1 mm;

floral scales persistent, 1–3(–5), appressed, laterally whitish to reddish brown, stramineous with reddish spots, medially green, laterally 3–6-ribbed (midrib distinctly scabrid at 30X), narrowly oblong to ovate, 2.6–4.8 × 1.6–2 mm;

apex rounded to ± acute, entire, with mucro 0.3–0.5 mm;

sterile terminal scale involute, 0.4–0.6 mm wide, uncinate;

distal floral scales with cusp 0.6–1.9.

50–90, linear-lanceoloid to linear-subulate, ± terete-quadrangular, (11–)12–13(–15) × 1.1–1.6 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, whitish green or often yellow-tinted, sometimes reddish striate, laterally 4-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, (3.9–)4.2–4.6(–4.8) × 1.6–2 mm.

anthers 0.5–1.3 mm;

styles 0.4–0.5 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.9 mm.

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

styles 1–1.5 mm;

stigmas 2–3 mm.

light brown to reddish brown, sessile to slightly stipitate, narrowly ellipsoid, 1.8–2.4 × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex slightly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

yellowish brown to brown, ± stipitate, conspicuously falcate, 3–4 times long as wide, oblong, 2.2–2.6 × 0.6–0.7 mm, apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.