Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (2–)4–30 cm × 0.4–2 mm, glabrous.

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

1–5, (blades often absent, base of culm with 1 reddish sheath bearing minute blade tooth 1–2 mm), (3–)10–18 cm × (0.5–)1.5–2(–2.6) 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.

spikes 1–3, ovoid or ± digitate, 10–30 × 8–26 mm;

rays 1–4(–6), 0.5–3(–9) cm;

bracts 2–3, approximately horizontal, 1–12 cm × 0.5–2.5 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.

1–6, compressed, oblong-lanceoloid, 5–15 × (2–)2.3–2.8 mm;

floral scales (4–)8–24, closely imbricate, laterally yellow to yellowish brown, margins light brown to clear, medially green, laterally ribless, medially 2–3-ribbed, 2-keeled basally, ovate, (1.5–)1.8–2.2 × 1.8 mm, apex obtuse.

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.4 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.5–1 mm;

stigmas 0.5–0.8 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.

jet black to reddish brown, slightly stipitate, obovoid, 1–1.2 × 0.8 mm, apex apiculate, surface with network of rectangular longitudinally elongate cells and transverse undulations.