Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, (20–) 30–80 cm × 1–2.5 mm, glabrous or occasionally with scattered prickles on distal angles.

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

9–11, flat to slightly V-shaped, 25–80 cm × 3.5–10 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–)3–6, loosely cylindric or oblong with parallel sides, 1.5–4 cm × 10–17 mm;

rays 6–12, 2–25 cm, glabrous or rarely scabridulous proximal to spikes;

bracts 6–11, ascending at 45°, flat, (1–)10–20(–26) cm × 1–10 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 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.

10–60, narrowly ellipsoid, quadrangular, 5–8 × 1.5–2 mm;

floral scales persistent, (2–)3–7, appressed, clear at maturity, laterally reddish to purplish brown, medially greenish, often erose at maturity, laterally 3–5-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm, apex 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.

anthers 0.8–1 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 2–2.5 mm.

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

brown to reddish brown, sessile, oblong-ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, slightly dorsiventrally flattened, 1.8–2 × 0.7–0.8 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces papillose to puncticulate.