Flora of North America species comparison

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

basally swollen and cormlike, trigonous, (1–)20–40(–90) cm × 1–6 mm, glabrous or few prickles subapically.

1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm.

flat, (10–)20–40 cm × 1–4(–8) mm, margins and midribs glabrous or scabridulous.

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 1–4, loosely ovoid to oblong-cylindric; (6–)10–28(–50) × 10–40 mm;

rays sometimes absent, usually (1–)3–6(–8), 0.5–7(–25) cm;

if absent, inflorescence a congested head; 2d order rays sometimes present, 1–4(–9) cm;

rachis 8–18(–25) mm;

bracts (3–)5–7(–10), ascending at 30–45°, cross ribs sometimes conspicuous, (1–)10–30(–45) cm × (1–)2–4(–12) mm;

rachilla ± deciduous, wings 0.4–0.5 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.

(5–)12–50, linear-lanceoloid, compressed, 5–30 × 0.6–0.9 mm;

floral scales ± deciduous, 3–11, appressed, medially green, laterally stramineous to pale brown, 3–4-ribbed laterally, (1–)3-ribbed medially, oblong-obovate, 3.2–4.5(–6) × 1–1.8 mm, apex ± acute, overlapping lower 1/4–1/2 of next scale.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.3–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8(–1) mm.

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 1–2 mm;

stigmas 3–4 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.

purplish brown, ± stipitate, narrowly oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.4 × 0.5–0.6 mm, apex apiculate, acute, surfaces puncticulate.