Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (15–) 20–40(–65) cm × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous.

bladeless.

V-shaped, (10–)20–40 cm × 0.8–2.8(–3) mm, glabrous.

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.

spike 1, densely oblong-cylindric, (15–)25–35(–40) × 12–18(–22) mm, (spikelets loosely spaced, 7–9 per 5 mm of rachis);

rays (5–)6–8(–11), 0.5–4(–7.5) cm;

bracts (4–)5–7(–8), ascending at 30º, (4–)10–30(–35) cm × (1–)2–4(–7) mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 mm wide.

(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.

(20–)40–80(–100), linear, ± cylindric, scarcely compressed, (4.5–)6–9(–11) × (0.5–) 0.6–0.7(–1) mm;

floral scales persistent, (1–)2–3(–4), appressed, medially green, laterally light brown to tawny or bronze, medially (1–)3-ribbed, laterally 3-ribbed, oblong, (2.6–)2.8–3.2(–3.4) × (1–)1.2(–1.4) mm, apex acute, mucronulate, mucro to 0.1(–0.2) 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 (0.4–)0.6–1(–1.2) mm;

stigmas persistent on achenes, prominently exserted from floral scales, (1.5–)2–3(–4) mm.

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

brown to reddish brown, stipitate, narrowly oblong, 1.8–2.1 × (0.4–)0.5(–0.7) mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex apiculate, acute, surfaces puncticulate.