Flora of North America species comparison

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

roundly trigonous, 20–50(–80) cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous.

bladeless.

3–11, V-shaped, 12–40 cm.

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 to rather densely hemispheric, 15–30 mm diam.;

rays 5–10, 2–12 cm; 2d order rays occasionally produced, 5–25 mm;

bracts 4–8, approximately horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped, 10–36 cm × 1.5–4 mm, margins glabrous.

(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.

(4–)10–30, greenish, grayish, or stramineous, oblong to linear-oblong, compressed, (5–)7–10(–35) × 2–3 mm;

floral scales 10–25(–85), laterally yellowish brown, medially yellowish or brownish, laterally ribless, medially 2-ribbed with groove between ribs, broadly ovate (widest in proximal 1/2), (1.2–)1.5–2 × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse (declined (45–)60–90º from rachilla).

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.

stamen 1;

anthers oblong, 0.8–1.2 mm, connective not prolonged;

styles basally thickened, confluent with summit of achene, 0.6–1.2 mm;

stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm.

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

reddish brown to dark purplish brown, dull or more often iridescent, stipitate, broadly ellipsoid, 1–1.5 mm × 0.4–0.6(–0.7) mm, base cuneate to ± attenuate, stipe 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute, beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces reticulate with network of low ridges.