Flora of North America species comparison

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

trigonous, 8–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

9–11, flat to slightly V-shaped, 25–80 cm × 3.5–10 mm.

flat or V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 mm.

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.

heads digitate, 8–18 mm diam.;

rays 4–9, 1–8 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–2 cm;

bracts 3–5, ± horizontal, flat, 1–20 cm × 1–4 mm.

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.

commonly proliferous, 2–6, linear to oblong, compressed, 3–24 × 2–2.5 mm;

floral scales 3–20(–50), reddish brown, laterally 1–3-ribbed, ovate, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm.

anthers 0.8–1 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 2–2.5 mm.

stamens 3;

anthers 1.5 mm;

styles 1 mm;

stigmas 1.5 mm.

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.

reddish brown, sessile, obovoid, 0.8–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, scarcely apiculate, surfaces glabrous.