Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (12–)30–80(–90) cm × 0.7–1.7 mm, glabrous or nearly so.

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.

flat to V-shaped, 20–45 cm × 2–4 mm, margins and keel minutely scabridulous.

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.

spike 1, loosely ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, (1.5–)2.5–7 × (1–)1.5–3.5 cm;

rays 1–4, 1–15 cm;

rachis 1–2 cm;

bracts 2–4, oblique or ascending, 1–15(–24) cm × 0.4–3.5 mm, keel, margins scabrid;

rachilla ± deciduous, wingless.

(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.

(3–)8–40, linear, compressed-quadrangular, 8–18 × (2.4–)2.8–4 mm;

floral scales deciduous, (2–)4–12, laterally light brown to reddish brown, medially green or light brown, laterally 2–3-ribbed, oblong-ovate, 1.6–2.6 × (1.5–)1.6–2.2(–2.4) mm, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, medially glabrous.

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.

anthers 0.4–0.6 mm;

styles 0.3–0.6 mm;

stigmas 0.6–1 mm.

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.

brownish, stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 × (0.7–)0.9–1 mm, stipe whitish, 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces papillose.