Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous or ± terete, (3–)20–45(–70) cm × (0.8–) 1.2–2 mm, glabrous.

with cormlike bases, sharply trigonous, 25–90 cm, glabrous proximally, minutely scabridulous distally.

(2–) 6–10(–16), flat to V-shaped, (2–) 10–30(–60) cm × 1–4 mm.

V-shaped, 14–40 cm × 3.5–8 mm, (pubescent on adaxial side of midrib).

spike 1, loosely ovoid to densely turbinate, 12–40 × 10–25 mm;

rachis 3–10 mm;

rays 1–8(–12), 0.5–3(–6) cm; 2d order rays absent;

if rays absent, inflorescence single dense cluster of spikelets, 12–40 mm diam.;

bracts (3–)4–6(–7), horizontal to ascending at 45°, flanged V-shaped, (2–)5–15(–23) cm × 1–4 mm.

spikes loose, obtrulloid to obdeltoid (broadest near apex, nearly as long as wide), 20–28(–34) × (12–)15–30 mm;

rays 4–13, (1–)4–24 cm (longest ray shorter than bracts), glabrous;

bracts 3–12, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 3–25 cm × 3–7 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide, covering 3/4 of mature achene.

(5–)15–30(–40), spreading to appressed-ascending, linear-lanceoloid to linear, compressed, 8–18(–40) × (1–)1.3–1.6(–2) mm;

floral scales (8–)12–25(–66), laterally stramineous to light brown, medially green, laterally ribless, medially 3–5-ribbed, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.4 × (1–)1.2–1.4 mm, apex acute to ± acute, mucronate.

30–50, proximal one reflexed, distal ones divaricate, linear-lanceoloid, ± terete, (6.5–) 8–10(–17) × 0.5–0.7 mm;

floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, stramineous (suffused with reddish purple), 4–5-ribbed laterally, ovate-lanceolate, (4–)4.4–4.9(–5.4) × 1.3–1.5 mm;

terminal scale not spinose, apex straight, excurved mucronate, or cuspidate.

stamens 2;

anthers (0.4–)0.5–0.8 mm, connective not prolonged;

styles 0.6–1(–1.4) mm;

stigmas (1–)1.4–2 mm.

anthers 0.7–1.2 mm;

styles 1.5–2 mm;

stigmas 2–2.5 mm.

light to dark brown, oblong, (0.8–)0.9–1.1(–1.2) × 0.4–0.5(–0.6) mm, base cuneate to ± stipelike, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces punctate to minutely punctate with raised cells.

brown to brownish black, narrowly oblong, (2.2–)2.5–3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.