Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 30–150 cm × 1–5(–8) mm.

trigonous to terete, (25–)40–60(–90) cm, glabrous.

bladeless.

flat or V-shaped, (10–)25–50 cm × 5–8(–12) 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.

heads globose, (10–)20–40 mm diam.;

rays (0–)3–10, 2.5–5(–12) cm; 2d order rays usually absent (when present, 0.5–1.5 cm);

bracts 4–8, horizontal to ascending at 15–30°, flat (or V-shaped), 3–30(–50) cm × 1.5–8(–12) mm.

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.

(20–)30–50(–70), oblong, compressed, 5–20 × 2.2–3 mm;

floral scales (12–)20–30(–50), off-white to golden brown, basally 2-keeled, laterally ribless, ovate-deltate, 2–2.3 × 1–1.4 mm (declined 30–40º from rachilla).

stamens 3;

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

styles 0.5–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–1 mm.

stamen 1;

anthers 1–1.2 mm;

styles 1–1.2 mm;

stigmas 0.5 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.

black or dark brown, stipitate, broadly ellipsoid, 1.2–1.4 × 0.5–0.6 mm, stipe to 0.1 mm, apex apiculate, beak 0.2–0.3 mm, surfaces puncticulate.