Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, 20–50(–85) cm × 1–2(–4) mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 2–30 cm × 0.6–1.1 mm, glabrous.

3–6(–10), 10–40(–55) cm × 1.5–4(–5) mm, V- to inversely W-shaped.

flat, 4–10 cm × 2–4 mm.

spike 1, densely oblong-ovoid often with small basal branches, 8–16 × 4–12(–16) mm;

rays 4–8(–11), 0.5–3.5(–8.5) cm;

bracts (3–)4–6(–10), ascending at (30–)45°, flat to broadly V-shaped, (4–)14–30(–55) cm × 1–5 mm, scabridulous along margins only;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.2–0.3 mm wide.

rays 1–3, 0.2–1.5 cm; 2d order rays present in robust plants, to 5 mm;

bracts 2–3, longest erect, others spreading, 1–20 cm × 1.5–3 mm.

40–120, oblong-lanceoloid, subterete, 2.2–4(–4.5) × 0.8–1.6 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 2–5, appressed, brown to stramineous, or fuscous and lustrous, medially greenish and 1(–3)-ribbed, laterally greenish to yellowish white and 3–4-ribbed, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.8–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, subcoriacous.

3–12, narrowly ellipsoid, flattened, 3–7 × 0.9–1.2 mm;

floral scales 8–12(–16), laterally purplish brown, medially greenish yellow, 3-ribbed medially, orbiculate, 0.9–1.1 × 1 mm, apex mucronate.

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.5–0.8 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.9 mm.

stamen 1;

anthers ellipsoid, 0.2 mm, connective not prolonged;

styles 0.3–0.4 mm;

stigmas 0.3 mm.

brown, oblong-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm, base cuneate, apex subacute, surfaces papillose.

light brown, ellipsoid, 0.7–0.9 × 0.4 mm, base barely stipelike to narrowly cuneate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.