Flora of North America species comparison

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

to 25 cm apart, 1(–3) together, terete (scarcely compressed in drying), occasionally trigonous for apical 1/3, 40–140(–200) cm, 4–12 mm thick at base, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 mm thick at apex (with conspicuous transverse septa ca. 3 cm apart basally, to 3–5 mm apart apically), glabrous or infrequently scabrid on angles apically;

sheaths at base of culm, 2–3, (5–)10–25 cm, loose, papery.

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

usually bladeless, blades when present, cross ribs prominent, especially adaxially, (1–)10–20(–40) cm × 4–6(–9) 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.

spikes 1(–5), broadly ovoid to ± umbellate, 15–45 × 10–30 mm;

rays 5–7(–10), 0.3–8(–12) cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–20 mm;

bracts 2(–4), erect, longest appearing to be continuation of culm, deltate to lance-linear, 0.2–2(–9) cm × 1.5–4.5 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings translucent, whitish, or stramineous, 0.4 mm wide.

(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.

(1–)5–10, linear, compressed, 10–35(–45) × 1.1–2 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 15–45, spreading or appressed, laterally light brown, medially green to brown, laterally 1–2-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2.9–3.7 × 1.1–1.6(–1.8) mm, apex acute.

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.

anthers 1.7–2.4 mm;

styles 1.2–3.6 mm;

stigmas 1.7–6 mm.

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

brown, stipitate, obovoid-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, stipe 0.1 mm, apex markedly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.