Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (20–) 30–80 cm × 1–2.5 mm, glabrous or occasionally with scattered prickles on distal angles.

flat to V-shaped, 10–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

9–11, flat to slightly V-shaped, 25–80 cm × 3.5–10 mm.

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 (1–)3–6, loosely cylindric or oblong with parallel sides, 1.5–4 cm × 10–17 mm;

rays 6–12, 2–25 cm, glabrous or rarely scabridulous proximal to spikes;

bracts 6–11, ascending at 45°, flat, (1–)10–20(–26) cm × 1–10 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 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.

10–60, narrowly ellipsoid, quadrangular, 5–8 × 1.5–2 mm;

floral scales persistent, (2–)3–7, appressed, clear at maturity, laterally reddish to purplish brown, medially greenish, often erose at maturity, laterally 3–5-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm, apex obtuse.

anthers 0.5–1.3 mm;

styles 0.4–0.5 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.9 mm.

anthers 0.8–1 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 2–2.5 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.

brown to reddish brown, sessile, oblong-ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, slightly dorsiventrally flattened, 1.8–2 × 0.7–0.8 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces papillose to puncticulate.