Flora of North America species comparison

stoutly trigonous, thickened, 50–300 cm × 5–30 mm, basally indurate, glabrous.

1–10(–25), roundly trigonous, 3–12 cm × 0.3–0.8 mm, glabrous.

V-shaped, with cross ribs, 40–130 cm × 10–15 mm, margins and keel scabrid.

1–3–(4), 1–6 cm × 1(–1.5) mm.

spikes appressed-ascending, narrowly cylindric, (2–)3–45 mm × (4–)7–10 mm;

rays (5–)9–12, 2–22(–30) cm; 2d order rays distinctly flattened, 1–10 cm; 3d order rays flattened, 0.5–3 cm;

rachis 2.5–4 cm;

bracts (6–)9–10, ascending at 45–75°, V- or inversely W-shaped, (5–)15–90 cm × 0.5–20 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.2–0.4 mm wide.

if rays absent heads single, dense, sessile, digitate, 5–20 × 10–30 mm, single heads 10–30(–50) mm;

rays usually absent, if present 1–8 cm; 2d order rays infrequently present, 1–2 cm;

bracts 3–6, erect to oblique, flat to V-shaped,(0.5–)2–10(–15) cm × 0.5–2 mm.

(4–)10–35, appressed-ascending, compressed, linear, 7–12(–15) × 0.6–1.2 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 6–20, marginally clear, laterally brown, medially green, laterally 2–3-ribbed, medially 1-ribbed, oblong-ovate, (3.2–) 3.8–4.3 × 1.2–1.7 mm, apex spreading, acute to obtuse, mucronulate.

5–10(–20), linear to linear-lanceoloid, (5–)8–12(–35) × 1.6–2.3(–2.5) mm;

floral scales (6–)16–30(–76), laterally glossy reddish brown to brown, medially greenish, sometimes also reddish or brownish, laterally ribless, medially strongly 3-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, 1.9–2(–2.3) mm (including prominent excurved cusp of 0.3–0.5 mm) × 0.8–1.1 mm, apex truncate, emarginate, or cuspidate.

anthers 0.7–0.9 mm, connective apex bright red, oblong, to 0.1 mm;

styles 0.8–1.3 mm;

stigmas 2–3.3 mm.

stamens (1–)2–3;

anthers ellipsoid, 0.3 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.3–0.4 mm;

stigmas 0.4–0.7 mm.

brown, sessile, narrowly ellipsoid, 1.8–2.5 × 0.8–1.3 mm, apex ± acute, not apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, slightly stipitate, obovoid to oblong, 0.8–0.9 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex abruptly apiculate, surfaces papillose.