Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (10–) 30–50(–80) cm × (0.8–)1–2 mm, glabrous or occasionally minutely scabridulous on distal angles.

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

3–7, M- or V-shaped, (10–)25–40(–55) cm × 2–5 mm, margins and midribs scabridulous or glabrous.

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 3–6(–12), grayish to golden brown, loosely cylindric, (6–)10–20(–24) cm × (5–)8–11 mm;

rays 0 or 1–3, to 4 cm;

rachis glabrous;

bracts (3–)4–6(–8), horizontal to strongly reflexed, inversely W-shaped, (3–) 10–20(–30) cm × 1–5 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.3–0.5 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.

(10–)25–60(–100), spaced 1–2(–3) mm apart, broadly ellipsoid to oblong, ± terete, 2.4–3.6 × 0.8–1.2 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–4), appressed, laterally golden brown to dull grayish white, frequently streaked with red, medially greenish, laterally 3–4-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong, 2.6–3.3 × 1.8–2.4 mm, apex broadly rounded.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.4–0.9 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8(–1.3) mm.

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles 0.8–1.2(–1.4) mm;

stigmas 1.4–2 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.

reddish brown to dark brown, stipitate, ellipsoid, (1.6–)1.8–2(–2.2) × (0.6–)0.7–0.9 mm, base cuneate to ± attenuate, apex ± acute to broadly rounded, surfaces finely papillose to essentially glabrous.