Flora of North America species comparison

2–6, trigonous, (10–)35–80 cm × 0.5–2(–4) mm, scabridulous with retrorse prickles (infrequently glabrous or rarely also with extrorse prickles).

basally cormlike, trigonous, (10–)20–80 cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous.

3–9, V-shaped, (12–)25–45(–65) cm × 2–10 mm;

blades and bracts without cross ribs.

inversely W-shaped, 20–70 cm × 5–11 mm, adaxial surface, margins minutely scabridulous.

heads umbellate, 10–20(–30) mm diam.;

rays 4–12, 1–6 cm, minutely scabridulous with retrorse prickles; 2d order rays often present, 1–2(–3) cm; 3d order rays rarely present, 0.5–1.5 cm;

bracts 3–8, approximately horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped to flat, 2–15(–34) cm × 1–4(–5) mm.

spikes densely ellipsoid to obovoid, 2.5–4.3 × 1.5–3 cm;

rays 5–10, 4–20 cm, glabrous;

rachis 7–14 mm;

bracts 3–8, horizontal to ascending at 45°, flat, 5–35 cm × 2.5–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5 mm wide.

(6–)15–40(–65), greenish white, linear to linear-oblong, (3–)4–12(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm;

floral scales 10–50(–65), laterally pale yellow, light brown, or reddish brown, 2-keeled, medially 3-ribbed, lanceolate, 1–1.5 × 0.8–0.9 mm, distinctly reticulate, often scabridulous near apex.

50–90, linear-lanceoloid to linear-subulate, ± terete-quadrangular, (11–)12–13(–15) × 1.1–1.6 mm;

distal spikelet spreading or ascending;

floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, whitish green or often yellow-tinted, sometimes reddish striate, laterally 4-ribbed, ovate-lanceolate, (3.9–)4.2–4.6(–4.8) × 1.6–2 mm.

stamen 1;

anthers 0.5 mm;

styles 0.8–1.1 mm;

stigmas 0.5 mm.

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

styles 1–1.5 mm;

stigmas 2–3 mm.

brown to reddish brown, slightly stipitate, narrowly ellipsoid, 0.7–0.9 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex apiculate, surfaces papillate or obscurely reticulate to rugulose.

yellowish brown to brown, ± stipitate, conspicuously falcate, 3–4 times long as wide, oblong, 2.2–2.6 × 0.6–0.7 mm, apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.