Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, compressed, 15–75 cm × 0.5–3 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 30–100 cm × 2–4 mm, basally cormlike, glabrous.

1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

flat to broadly V-shaped, 20–70 cm × 4–6 mm, glabrous except for marginal prickles.

spikes 1(–2), ovoid, 5–23 × 9–21 mm;

rays 2–3(–4), 0–15 mm;

if rays absent, head single, compact, sessile, (12–)15–20 mm diam.;

bracts 2–3, horizontal to vertical, 2–14 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm.

spikes loosely to densely ovoid, oblong (2 times long as wide), 10–12 × 6–9 mm;

rays 6–11, 1–16 cm, glabrous;

bracts 5–10, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 6–25 cm × 3–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5 mm wide, covering nearly entire length of achene.

1–6, oblong-lanceoloid, 5–26 × 2–3 mm;

floral scales 12–54, closely imbricate, laterally yellowish brown, medially pale brown, occasionally greenish, laterally 1-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, distinctly 2-keeled basally, ovate, 1.8–2.6 × 1.4–1.7 mm, apex obtuse.

(20–)40–100(–120), proximal spikelets reflexed somewhat, distal ones divaricate, ± terete, lanceoloid, 6–6.8 × 1–1.4 mm;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–3), appressed, golden brown, lanceolate, laterally 5–6-ribbed, 3.8–4.9 × 1.4–1.6 mm, apex mucronate, mucro at most 0.3 mm.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.3–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8(–1) mm.

anthers 1–1.3 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 2–3 mm.

brown, network of ridges forming isodiametric or square cells, stipitate, obovoid to ellipsoid, 1.1–1.3 × (0.5–)0.6 mm, apex acute to broadly rounded, surfaces minutely punctate or finely papillose.

brown, sessile, linear, 2.5–2.8 × 0.5–0.7 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces muriculate.