Flora of North America species comparison

roundly trigonous to terete, 30–80 cm × 1–1.6 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 25–50(–80) cm × 0.8–2.6 mm, glabrous.

1–6, 10–40 cm, glabrous or essentially so.

flat to V-shaped, 30–80 cm × 3–10 mm.

heads ovoid to pyramidal, 9–15 mm diam.;

rays 0 or 3–6, 0.5–4 cm, glabrous;

bracts 3–4, longest erect, appearing as continuation of culm, others horizontal to ascending, 4–17 cm × 1.5–4 mm.

spikes ovoid, 1.5–3 × 1.5–3 cm;

rays 4–7, 1–10 cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 0.5–2 cm, rays often not elongate, inflorescence then capitate, 2–5 cm diam.;

bracts 4–8, horizontal to ascending at 30°, flat to V-shaped, longest 6–35 cm × (1.5–)4–8 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide.

25–60, reddish with contrasting yellowish or greenish edges, oblong-lanceoloid, strongly compressed, 5–6(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm;

floral scales 10–22, laterally reddish, medially yellowish green, 2-keeled, laterally strongly 1-ribbed on each side, proximally grooved, ovate-elliptic, 1.4–2.2 × 0.8–1.5 mm, apex acute, apically scabridulous (sometimes glabrous).

(10–)20–60, reddish brown, flattened elliptic in cross section, linear-lanceoloid, 6–22 cm × (1–)2–3(–4) mm;

floral scales deciduous, 6–16, medially greenish, laterally reddish brown to brown, medially 3–5-ribbed, laterally 3–5-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate to ± orbiculate, 2.5–3 × 1.4–1.8 mm, apex acute to obtuse and mucronulate.

stamen 1;

anthers 0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm.

anthers 0.7–1.8 mm;

styles (0.3–)1.2–2.8 cm;

stigmas (1–)2–3 mm.

reddish brown, stipitate, ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.8–0.9 × 0.3–0.4 mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces reticulate or subtly rugulose.

brownish to black, stipitate or sessile, ellipsoid to obovoid or oblong, 1.3–2 × 0.75–1(–1.1) mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces coarsely punctate.

, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous.