Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 30–150 cm × 1–5(–8) mm.

to 25 cm apart, 1(–3) together, terete (scarcely compressed in drying), occasionally trigonous for apical 1/3, 40–140(–200) cm, 4–12 mm thick at base, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 mm thick at apex (with conspicuous transverse septa ca. 3 cm apart basally, to 3–5 mm apart apically), glabrous or infrequently scabrid on angles apically;

sheaths at base of culm, 2–3, (5–)10–25 cm, loose, papery.

bladeless.

usually bladeless, blades when present, cross ribs prominent, especially adaxially, (1–)10–20(–40) cm × 4–6(–9) mm.

heads digitate, 15–30(–36) mm diam.;

rays (14–)20–22, (2–)5–12(–20) cm; 2d order rays 0.3–3(–4) cm; 3d order rays sometimes present, 0.3–2.5 cm;

bracts (4–)18–22, ± horizontal, flat, 15–27 cm × (1.5–)8–12 mm.

spikes 1(–5), broadly ovoid to ± umbellate, 15–45 × 10–30 mm;

rays 5–7(–10), 0.3–8(–12) cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–20 mm;

bracts 2(–4), erect, longest appearing to be continuation of culm, deltate to lance-linear, 0.2–2(–9) cm × 1.5–4.5 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings translucent, whitish, or stramineous, 0.4 mm wide.

8–20, ovoid to linear-lanceoloid, compressed, 5–25 × 1.5–2 mm;

floral scales 8–28, laterally whitish or light brown, ± hyaline, medially light brown, laterally ribless, medially 3-ribbed, 2-keeled in proximal 30–60%, deltate-ovate, 1.6–2.4 × (1–)1.2–1.5(–1.7) mm, apex acute.

(1–)5–10, linear, compressed, 10–35(–45) × 1.1–2 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 15–45, spreading or appressed, laterally light brown, medially green to brown, laterally 1–2-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2.9–3.7 × 1.1–1.6(–1.8) mm, apex acute.

stamens 3;

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

styles 0.5–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–1 mm.

anthers 1.7–2.4 mm;

styles 1.2–3.6 mm;

stigmas 1.7–6 mm.

brown, sessile or stipitate, broadly ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm, stipe if present to 0.1 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, stipitate, obovoid-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, stipe 0.1 mm, apex markedly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.