Flora of North America species comparison

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

single or close together, trigonous to ± terete, (1–)8–30(–60) cm × (0.3–)0.6–1.5(–2.2) mm, glabrous.

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

blades present or reduced to sheaths, base of culm covered with reddish sheath 5–25 mm, distally short toothed 1–2 mm, or leaf blades involute, 1–7 cm × 0.3–1(–1.6) 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.

heads appearing lateral, spikes ± digitate, 5–15 × 5–15 mm;

rays absent, sometimes 1, to 2 mm;

bracts (1–)2(–3), longer bracts erect, appearing as continuation of culm, shorter bract(s) horizontal or ascending, longer bracts (1–)2–8(–12) cm × 0.5–3 mm, shorter (0.3–)1–4.5 cm × 0.2–1 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–)2–7(–14), whitish green to reddish, compressed-turgid, ellipsoid to oblong-lanceoloid, 4–7(–12) × (1.6–)2–3(–3.6) mm;

floral scales (8–)12–22, off-white, whitish with red speckles, or with single red spot 0.5 mm wide, medially whitish, oblong-laterally ribless or weakly 2-ribbed, medially weakly 1–3-ribbed, obovate to orbiculate, 1.5–2 × (1.3–)1.6–2 mm.

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

anthers (0.5–)0.7–1 mm, connective apex reddish, 0.1–0.2 mm;

styles 0.8–1.2 mm;

stigmas 0.7–1 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.

gray, glossy, oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid, (1.2–)1.3–1.5(–1.8) × (0.7–)0.8–1(–1.2) mm, base cuneate to stipelike, apex apiculate, surfaces finely reticulate to papillate.