Flora of North America species comparison

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

terete, 40–60(–90)cm, glabrous.

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

flat, 35–70 cm × 4–9(–12) 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.

heads hemispheric, 10–20 mm diam.;

rays 5–9(–14), 3.5–10 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–2 cm;

bracts 5–10, ± horizontal, flat, 12–40(–50) cm × 2–7 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.

(25–)35–50(–60), ovoid, compressed, (3.5–)5–12(–14) × 2.5–3.5(–4) mm;

floral scales 10–32, golden brown to brown, 2-keeled, laterally ribless, narrowly lanceolate, 2–2.2(–3) × 0.8–1.4 mm.

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.

stamen 1;

anthers 1 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 0.5 mm.

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

brown, stipitate, narrowly ellipsoid, 1.5–2 × 0.2–0.4 mm, base swollen, spongy, stipe 0.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm, apex acute, beak slender, 0.2 mm, surfaces puncticulate.