Flora of North America species comparison

roundly trigonous, 200–350 cm × 15–50 mm, glabrous.

weak, often arching, basally culmlike, weakly 4(–5)-angled, 10–30 cm × 0.2–0.4 mm, glabrous.

bladeless.

1–4, 3–25 cm × 1–1.5 mm.

spikes loosely cylindric, 15–40 × 8–16 mm;

rays 5–8, ascending to erect, stiff,20–30 cm; 2d order rays 5–15 cm;

bracts 10–12, ascending at 30–60°, flat, (8–) 20–45 cm × 4–12 mm; 2d order bracts (5–)15–25 cm × 1.5–5 mm;

rachilla persistent, separating laterally, remaining firmly attached basally, wings 0.3–0.4 mm wide.

rays absent, often proliferous;

bracts 2–4, longest erect, looking like continuation of culm, V-shaped, 3–6 cm × 1–3 mm.

(15–)50–80, slightly compressed, linear, ± quadrangular, 5–12 × 0.6–1.4 mm;

floral scales 8–20, appressed, reddish beside 5-ribbed green medial part, white to hyaline near margins, ovate, 1.8–2.2 × 1.2–1.5 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

1–3(–6), narrowly ellipsoid, weakly compressed, 5–10 × 2 mm;

floral scales 8–16, laterally whitish or dull stramineous, medially green, weakly 3–4-ribbed, broadly ovate, 2.5 × 2 mm, apex acute to mucronate, mucro slightly excurved, 0.2–0.3 mm.

anthers 0.7–1 mm (connective prolonged beyond anther as red subulate appendage 0.2–0.5 mm, its apex sometimes setose);

styles 0.2–0.5 mm;

stigmas (0.8–)1.2–1.8 mm.

stamens 3;

styles 0.8 mm;

stigmas 1–1.3 mm.

pale brown, sessile, oblong, 0.9–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex scarcely apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, stipitate, obovoid, abaxial angle more prominent than adaxial ones, 0.7 × 0.7 mm, apex emarginate, surfaces glabrous.