Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 40–70(–100) cm × 2–3 mm, scabrid or hirtellate, either immediately proximal to apex or over distal 1/2 of culm.

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

flat, 30–80 cm × 4–10 mm, scabrid on margins, ribs on abaxial surface.

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.

spikes ovoid, 12–20 × 13–18 mm;

rays 3–6, 4–10(–16) cm, glabrous;

bracts 3–5, ± horizontal to reflexed, 3–12(–36) cm × 0.4–3(–5) mm, scabrid like leaves;

rachilla deciduous, essentially wingless or wings inconspicuous, hyaline, 0.1(–0.2) mm wide.

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.

25–50(–80), oblong, quadrangular-compressed, 5–10 × 2.5–3.5 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 4–10(–14), marginally clear, laterally brownish to clear distally, or light brown or reddish brown, blunt, laterally 3(–4)-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–3 × (1.2–)1.4–2 mm, often erose apically, apex acute to obtuse, entire or emarginate.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.4–0.9 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8(–1.3) mm.

anthers 0.4–0.6 mm;

styles 0.8–1.2 mm;

stigmas 2 mm.

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.

brown to reddish brown, ± stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, apex obtuse, scarcely to distinctly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.