Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 35–170 cm × 2–4.7 mm, scabrid on angles.

4–12, with readily visible cross ribs especially on abaxial surface, flat to V-shaped, 25–100 cm × 2.4–11 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, globose, 1–1.7 cm diam.;

rays 3–5, 1–7 cm; 2d order rays absent;

bracts 3–5, horizontal to ascending at 30°, with prominent cross ribs, V-shaped, (4–)11–35(–48) cm × 1–6.7 mm (longest 1/2 as long as culm); 2d order bracts absent.

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.

10–40, oblong to linear-lanceoloid, 5–1.8 × 1.5–2.2 mm;

floral scales 18–42, pale grayish green, turning brownish, proximally greenish or brownish, 2-keeled, weakly to distinctly 1-ribbed, proximal 1/2 2-ribbed, ovate, 1.4–1.6 × 0.9–1.4 mm, acute (sometimes mucronulate), apically glabrous, occasionally scabridulous.

anthers 0.3–0.4 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 1.3–1.6 mm.

stamens 1–2;

anthers 0.8–1.2 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.8 mm.

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

brown, slightly stipitate, oblong-ellipsoid (2.4–3.9 times longer than wide), 1–1.2 × 0.3–0.5 mm, apical beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces glabrous.