Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous.

1–6(–25), trigonous to roundly trigonous, (0.5–)2–5(–9) cm × 0.2–0.4–(0.6) mm, glabrous.

V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous.

1–6, V-shaped, 1–6 cm × 0.3–1 mm.

spikes 1(–5), rather densely ovoid or oblong-cylindric, (10–)25–45(–62) × 7–22 mm, 11–21 spikelets per 5 mm of rachis;

rays (3–)5–10(–17), (1–)5–12(–24) cm;

bracts (2–)4–8, ascending at 30–45°, V- or inversely W-shaped, (2–)8–40(–65) cm × (1–)2–8 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings 0.4–0.5 mm wide.

heads digitate, loosely ovoid, 3–18 × 3–26 mm;

rays (0–)1–6(–8), 2.5–20(–30) mm;

bracts 2–3(–5), horizontal to ascending at 45(–60)°, V-shaped, 2–60 × 0.3–1.2 mm.

(10–)50–150, oblong to linear, quadrangular, (3–)4–8(–18) × (0.8–)1–1.2(–1.6) mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales (1–) 3–8, pale greenish white to golden brown, deep brown, or reddish brown, medially usually green, weakly to strongly 3(–4)-ribbed laterally, 1–3-ribbed medially, ovate to elliptic, (2–)2.6–3.2(–4) × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse.

(3–)10–20(–30), greenish to reddish brown, narrowly ellipsoid to oblong, 3–11 × (0.8–)1.2–1.5 mm;

floral scales (3–)6–20(–28), laterally greenish to reddish brown, glossy, medially greenish to light reddish brown, strongly recurved, laterally ribless, medially strongly 3-ribbed, oblong-ovate, (0.8–)1–1.3 × 0.8–1(–1.2) mm, apex emarginate, cusp 0.6–1.2 mm.

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

stamens 2 or 3;

anthers oblong-ovoid, 0.1(–0.2) mm;

styles (0.2–)0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 0.3–0.5 mm.

brown or reddish brown, sessile or nearly so, ellipsoid, 1.4–1.8(–2) × 0.6–0.8(–1) mm, apex acute to obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, oblong-obovoid, (0.5–)0.6 × (0.3–)0.4 mm, base cuneate, apex blunt, surfaces coarsely papillose.