Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 5–50 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous.

1–4, 3–25 cm × 1–1.5 mm.

V-shaped, 12–30 cm × 1–6 mm.

rays absent, often proliferous;

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

spikes ± globose to broadly ovoid, 8–20 mm wide;

rays 1–8 cm;

rachis 2–5 mm, glabrous;

bracts 3–8, weakly ascending, flat, 3–20 cm × 1–3.5 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wingless.

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.

3–18, compressed, ovoid to oblong-lanceoloid, 4–15 × 2.6–3.4 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 3–18, laterally stramineous to reddish brown, laterally 3–4-ribbed, broadly ovate, 1.8–2.5 × 1.3–1.6 mm, apex with mucro 0.1–0.2 mm.

stamens 3;

styles 0.8 mm;

stigmas 1–1.3 mm.

anthers 0.5–0.7 mm;

styles 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

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

dark brown, sessile, broadly ellipsoid, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surface glabrous, puncticulate, or papillose.

= 168, 170, 172.