Flora of North America species comparison

solitary or close together, trigonous, 5–40(–95) cm, glabrous.

trigonous, (10–) 30–50(–80) cm × (0.8–)1–2 mm, glabrous or occasionally minutely scabridulous on distal angles.

(2–)3–7, broadly V-shaped, 3–20(–30) cm × 1.5–3 mm.

3–7, M- or V-shaped, (10–)25–40(–55) cm × 2–5 mm, margins and midribs scabridulous or glabrous.

spikes loosely to densely ovoid to hemispheric, 7–16 mm diam.;

rachis 1–2 mm, or absent;

rays 1–2, 3–45 mm;

if rays absent, inflorescence sessile, dense, 6–20 mm diam;

bracts 2–3, horizontal to reflexed downward, broadly V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 1–3 mm.

spikes 3–6(–12), grayish to golden brown, loosely cylindric, (6–)10–20(–24) cm × (5–)8–11 mm;

rays 0 or 1–3, to 4 cm;

rachis glabrous;

bracts (3–)4–6(–8), horizontal to strongly reflexed, inversely W-shaped, (3–) 10–20(–30) cm × 1–5 mm;

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

(3–)5–25(–60), linear to oblong-linear, (3–)5–9 × 1.8–2.3 mm;

floral scales 4–18, closely imbricate, chestnut brown, black, or brown, medially green or greenish brown, laterally ribless, medially 2(–3)-ribbed, distinctly 2-keeled basally, ovate to orbiculate, 1.5–2.1 × 1.4–2.2 mm, apex obtuse.

(10–)25–60(–100), spaced 1–2(–3) mm apart, broadly ellipsoid to oblong, ± terete, 2.4–3.6 × 0.8–1.2 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–4), appressed, laterally golden brown to dull grayish white, frequently streaked with red, medially greenish, laterally 3–4-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong, 2.6–3.3 × 1.8–2.4 mm, apex broadly rounded.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 0.7–2.1 mm.

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles 0.8–1.2(–1.4) mm;

stigmas 1.4–2 mm.

brown, ellipsoid, 1.2–1.4 × 0.6–0.8 mm, network of ridges forming isodiametric or square cells, slightly stipitate, apex apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.

reddish brown to dark brown, stipitate, ellipsoid, (1.6–)1.8–2(–2.2) × (0.6–)0.7–0.9 mm, base cuneate to ± attenuate, apex ± acute to broadly rounded, surfaces finely papillose to essentially glabrous.