Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (2–)25–60(–100) cm × 1–4 mm, soft (flattened in drying), glabrous.

bladeless.

usually reduced to sheaths, occasionally with blades, flat to V-shaped, (3–)10–30 cm × (1–)2.5–5 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.

heads loosely digitate;

rays (5–)10–12(–15), 1–15(–20) cm; 2d order rays usually present, (1–)6–12(–25) mm; 3d order rays sometimes present, 1–6 mm;

bracts 2(–3), horizontal to ascending at 30–60°, longer (3–)6–18 cm × 2–4 mm, shorter (0.5–)2.5–6.5 cm × 1–2(–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.

1–15, linear-lanceoloid, ± compressed-quadrangular, 3–18 × 1–1.6 mm;

floral scales 10–20(–40), laterally reddish to greenish brown, dull, often clear-edged, medially greenish, laterally 1-ribbed, medially 1-ribbed, oblong to obovate, 1–1.5(–1.9) × 0.8–1 mm, apex mucronate, glabrous except for cluster of crystalline prickles at apex.

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;

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.4–0.9 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8(–1.3) mm.

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

white or reddish brown, stipitate, globose to obovoid or ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) × 0.3–0.4(–0.5) mm, base nearly cuneate, stipe 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse to acute, apiculate or entire, surfaces granular to papillose.