Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 7–30 cm × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous.

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

V-shaped to flat, 5–20 cm × 1–2.5 mm.

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.

spike hemispheric, 7–20 mm wide;

rays absent;

rachis 1–3 mm;

bracts 2–3, reflexed, flat, 5–12 cm × 1–2 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings 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.

30–50, compressed, oblong-lanceoloid, 4–10 × 1.7–2.3 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 5–12, dark reddish brown, laterally 3–5-ribbed, ovate, 1.5–2.2 × 1–1.6 mm, apex with mucro 0.1–0.2 mm.

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 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 1–2 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.

black, sessile, narrowly ellipsoid, 1–1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, glabrous, puncticulate, or papillose.