Flora of North America species comparison

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

with cormlike bases, sharply trigonous, 25–90 cm, glabrous proximally, minutely scabridulous distally.

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

V-shaped, 14–40 cm × 3.5–8 mm, (pubescent on adaxial side of midrib).

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 loose, obtrulloid to obdeltoid (broadest near apex, nearly as long as wide), 20–28(–34) × (12–)15–30 mm;

rays 4–13, (1–)4–24 cm (longest ray shorter than bracts), glabrous;

bracts 3–12, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 3–25 cm × 3–7 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide, covering 3/4 of mature achene.

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, proximal one reflexed, distal ones divaricate, linear-lanceoloid, ± terete, (6.5–) 8–10(–17) × 0.5–0.7 mm;

floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, stramineous (suffused with reddish purple), 4–5-ribbed laterally, ovate-lanceolate, (4–)4.4–4.9(–5.4) × 1.3–1.5 mm;

terminal scale not spinose, apex straight, excurved mucronate, or cuspidate.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.4–0.9 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8(–1.3) mm.

anthers 0.7–1.2 mm;

styles 1.5–2 mm;

stigmas 2–2.5 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 brownish black, narrowly oblong, (2.2–)2.5–3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.