Flora of North America species comparison

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

basally cormlike, trigonous, (8–)15–40(–60) cm × (0.4–)0.8–1.5(–2) mm, glabrous or sparsely to densely scabridulous to minutely scabrid on angles or usually on surface, just proximal to bracts or over distal few centimeters.

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

(1–)3–4, V-shaped, (7–)15–25(–40) cm × 1–3(–5) mm, sparsely minutely scabridulous on margins and keel in distal 1/3, otherwise glabrous.

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.

spikes 1–3, sessile (occasionally 1 spike on peduncle 5–20 cm, produced from axil of distalmost leaf), loosely cylindric to oblong-ovoid, (9–)15–30(–45) × (3–)8–15(–18) mm;

bracts 2–3(–7), longest erect, or very nearly so, others spreading, (1–)3–20(–26) cm × (0.5–)1–3(–5) mm;

rays (1–)2–6(–11), (1–)2–7(–12) cm, in some depauperate plants rays less than 1 cm;

rachilla ± deciduous, wingless.

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.

(4–)8–25(–35), oblong-ellipsoid to linear, compressed-quadrangular, (2–)7–11(–15) × (2–)2.4–3.2(–3.5) mm;

floral scales (1–)4–8(–14), laterally dull whitish, stramineous, or light brown, or reddish brown to deep red, often red-dotted especially near keel, medially greenish, broadly ovate-deltate to ± orbiculate, laterally strongly 3(–4)-ribbed, medially weakly 1–3-ribbed, (1.6–)1.8–2.4 × (1.8–)2.2–2.8 mm, margins clear, erose especially apically, apex obtuse, tipped with straight mucro 0.1–0.2(–0.3) mm.

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 0.5–0.8 mm;

stigmas 0.6–0.9 mm.

anthers 0.4–0.6 mm;

styles 0.4(–0.8) mm;

stigmas 0.6–1 mm.

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

finely reticulate with isodiametric cells, this layer gradually wearing away to reveal inner brown to reddish brown layer, stipitate, ovoid to obovoid, 1.4–1.6(–1.9) × 1–1.3(–1.4) mm, base cuneate to ± attenuate, stipe 0.1–0.2 × 0.2 mm, apex obtuse, slightly apiculate, inner layer papillose.