Flora of North America species comparison

basally cormlike, obtusely trigonous to subterete, 25–100 cm × 2–4 mm, densely minutely scabridulous.

round to roundly trigonous, 15–80 cm × 2–4 mm, glabrous.

inversely W-shaped, 20–70 cm × 4–7 mm, adaxial surface densely hirtellous.

adaxial face concave, becoming trigonous apically, 15–75 cm × 1–4 mm, margins involute.

spikes turbinate, 10–12 × 6–9 mm, ± as long as wide;

rays 6–12, 1–30 cm (longest bract equaling or shorter than longest ray), harshly scabrid;

bracts 3–10, horizontal to ascending at 30°, inversely W-shaped, 6–27 cm × 3–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings hyaline, 0.5 mm wide, covering 1/2 of mature achene.

spikes ovoid, 10–20 mm wide;

rays 3–8(–10), 0.5–12 cm; 2d order rays 0–3, 1–3 cm;

bracts 3–7, horizontal to vertical, 2.5–5.5 cm × 1–4 mm, margins involute; 2d order bracts 0–3, 1–3 cm;

rachilla persistent, wingless.

30–60, proximal spikelets reflexed nearly parallel to ray, distal ones spreading, linear, ± terete, 6–8 × 1–1.4 mm;

floral scales persistent, 1(–2), appressed, stramineous, often suffused with reddish purple, laterally 4–6-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, 4–4.5 × 1.4–1.6 mm, apex straight, excurved mucronate or cuspidate;

terminal scale spinose.

3–20(–30), beige to greenish or reddish brown, strongly compressed, oblong-ellipsoid to oblong-lanceoloid, 3–15 × 2.5–3.5 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 6–22, laterally pale greenish white to stramineous or reddish brown, medially pale green to yellowish green, laterally 2-ribbed, medially 3–5-ribbed, broadly ovate, (2–)2.8–3.6 × 2.4–2.6 mm, apex with slightly excurved mucro 0.2–0.3 mm, apically scabrid.

anthers 0.5–1 mm;

styles 1.5–2 mm;

stigmas 2 mm.

anthers 0.6–1.4 mm;

styles 1.2–1.5 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5(–3) mm.

dark brown, narrowly oblong, (2.4–)2.7–2.9(–3.2) × 0.7–0.8 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

dark reddish brown to black, stipitate, obovoid, faces concave, flat or subtly convex, (1.4–)1.8–2 × 0.9–1 mm, base cuneate, stipe (sometimes absent) spongy, 0.1–0.2 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces coarsely papillose.