Flora of North America species comparison

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

roundly trigonous, 10–50 cm × 0.9–2.4 mm.

bladeless.

adaxial face concave, becoming flat to trigonous apically, 10–46 cm × 1.5–4 mm, margins involute.

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.

spikes ovoid, 1–5.5 cm wide;

rays usually 3–6, 0.5–5 cm, glabrous;

sometimes absent in small plants;

if absent, inflorescence a congested head of spikelets 1–3.5 cm diam.; 2d order rays 0–3, 1–3 cm;

bracts 3–5, vertical to ascending at 45°, 2.5–25 cm × 1.2–4 mm, margins involute; 2d order bracts 0–2, 5–20 mm;

rachilla persistent, wingless.

(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.

5–24, greenish yellow to golden brown, oblong to linear-lanceoloid, quadrangular, strongly compressed, 7–20(–30) × 2.5–4(–6) mm;

floral scales 10–20(–40), spreading, pale green to stramineous, laterally 2–3-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, 3.1–4 × 1.5–2.4 mm, apex with mucro 0.2–0.8 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.

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles 0.8–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.4 mm.

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

light to dark brown, rarely somewhat reddish, stipitate, ellipsoid, 2–2.4 × 0.5–0.8 mm, base cuneate, stipe whitish, spongy, 0.2–0.3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex acute, persistent style forming beak 0.5–1.2 mm, surfaces glabrous or finely papillose.