Flora of North America species comparison

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

1–20, trigonous, 2–16 cm × 0.5–0.8 mm, glabrous.

1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

1–3, flat to V-shaped, (1–)5–10(–15) × 0.5–2.5 mm.

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.

spike 1, loosely to densely ovoid to oblong, 6–20(–40) × 9–15(–20) mm;

rays absent or 1–3(–6), 4–40 mm;

bracts (1–)2–4, longest ± erect, V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 0.5–3 mm;

rachilla ± deciduous, wingless.

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.

(2–)6–20(–40), greenish to reddish brown, somewhat compressed, ovoid-lanceoloid to oblong, 2.5–10(–20) × 1.3–2.2 mm (excluding awns);

floral scales deciduous, (4–)10–20(–34), greenish to stramineous or brownish red laterally, greenish medially, (5–)7–9(–11)-ribbed nearly to margins, oblong-lanceolate, (1.2–)1.3–1.8(–2.2) × (0.5–)0.7–0.8(–1) mm, apex cuspidate, excurved awn additional 0.5–1(–1.3) mm.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.3–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8(–1) mm.

stamen 1, filaments 1.5 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.2–0.3 mm, connective apex reddish, minute;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 0.4–0.7 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.

light brown to nearly black, stipitate, obovoid (occasionally linear-spatulate or linear oblong, infrequently constricted in middle), 0.7–0.8(–1.1) × (0.2–)0.3–0.4(–0.5) mm, stipe 0.05–0.1 × 0.1 mm, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces papillose.