Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (20–)30–120 cm × 1.4–3.5 mm, glabrous or occasionally with scattered prickles on distal angles.

1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

2–4(–6), inversely W-shaped, 10–60(–70) cm × (2–)4–13 mm, margins and midribs scabridulous or glabrous.

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 (1–)3–6, narrowly cylindric, 1–4(–6) cm × 5–11 mm;

rays 0 or 3–6, 2–23 cm;

bracts 5–8, ascending at ± 45°, inversely W-shaped, (4–) 14–40(–46) cm × 1–12 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.3–0.5 mm wide.

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.

35–100, oblong-ellipsoid, ± terete, elliptic in cross section, 3–7 × (0.9–) 1.3–2 mm;

distal spikelets spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–5), appressed, becoming clear at maturity, laterally brownish to reddish brown, medially greenish, laterally 3–5-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, often erose at maturity, ovate to elliptic, 2.2–3.2 × 1.5–2.1 mm, apex obtuse.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.3–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8(–1) mm.

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles 0.4–0.8 mm;

stigmas 1.2–2.2 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 to reddish brown, sessile, broadly ellipsoid, slightly dorsiventrally flattened, 1.5–1.8 × 0.7–0.9(–1) mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces papillose to puncticulate.