Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, easily compressed, 30–75 cm × 1–5 mm, basally soft, glabrous.

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

1–3, usually withered at anthesis, V-shaped, 5–35 cm × 2–8 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 loosely ovoid, 5–25 × 8–22 mm;

rays (3–)5–11, 0.4–20 cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–28 mm;

bracts 3–7, horizontal to ascending at 30°, (2–)8–35 cm × (1–)4–10 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.

6–60, linear to lanceoloid, 7–30 × 2–3 mm, margins appearing serrate;

floral scales 6–24, loosely overlapping, light brown to reddish brown, with conspicuous clear border, medially greenish, 5–7-ribbed, ovate-obovate, (1.4–)1.7–2.3 × 1.4–2 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

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 2–3;

anthers 0.4 mm, connective apex reddish, to 0.1 mm;

styles 0.1–0.3 mm;

stigmas 0.7–1.5 mm.

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

jet black to dark reddish brown, sessile, obovoid, broadly rounded, 1.2–1.6 × 0.6–1.1 mm, surfaces minutely punctate.