Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous to terete, 20–100 cm × 2–6 mm, soft (flattened in drying), glabrous, often flopping over and rooting at base of rays.

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

blades reduced to sheath.

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.

rays 100–250, 5–16 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–5 cm;

bracts 2–3, horizontal or reflexed, 4–12 cm × 1.5–4 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.

1–30, linear-lanceoloid, ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid, compressed-quadrangular, 6–17 × 1–1.5 mm;

floral scales 5–12, reddish brown, 1–3-ribbed, 1.2–1.7 × 0.7–0.9 mm, apex mucronulate.

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 1–1.2 mm;

styles 0.3 mm;

stigmas 1–1.3 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, obovoid, 0.4 × 0.2 mm, base stipelike to nearly cuneate, apex obtuse, surfaces finely reticulate.