Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 5–25 cm × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 8–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

flat or V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 mm.

spikes loosely ovoid, 15–25 mm wide;

rays 1–6, 2–7 cm;

bracts 2–5, 3–20 cm, ascending;

rachilla deciduous, winged.

heads digitate, 8–18 mm diam.;

rays 4–9, 1–8 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–2 cm;

bracts 3–5, ± horizontal, flat, 1–20 cm × 1–4 mm.

5–30, linear, flattened, 6–22 × 1.5–2.2 mm;

floral scales ± deciduous, (4–)8–12, red, reddish purple, or reddish brown, medially green, elliptic, laterally 2–4-ribbed, 2.3–3.1 × 1.2–2 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

commonly proliferous, 2–6, linear to oblong, compressed, 3–24 × 2–2.5 mm;

floral scales 3–20(–50), reddish brown, laterally 1–3-ribbed, ovate, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

anthers 0.3–0.4 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 1.3–1.6 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 1.5 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 1.5 mm.

brown to dark purplish brown, broadly ellipsoid, 1–1.3 × 0.6–0.9 mm, surfaces puncticulate.

reddish brown, sessile, obovoid, 0.8–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, scarcely apiculate, surfaces glabrous.