Flora of North America species comparison

trigonous, (15–) 20–40(–65) cm × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 30–100 cm × 2–4 mm, basally cormlike, glabrous.

V-shaped, (10–)20–40 cm × 0.8–2.8(–3) mm, glabrous.

flat to broadly V-shaped, 20–70 cm × 4–6 mm, glabrous except for marginal prickles.

spike 1, densely oblong-cylindric, (15–)25–35(–40) × 12–18(–22) mm, (spikelets loosely spaced, 7–9 per 5 mm of rachis);

rays (5–)6–8(–11), 0.5–4(–7.5) cm;

bracts (4–)5–7(–8), ascending at 30º, (4–)10–30(–35) cm × (1–)2–4(–7) mm;

rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 mm wide.

spikes loosely to densely ovoid, oblong (2 times long as wide), 10–12 × 6–9 mm;

rays 6–11, 1–16 cm, glabrous;

bracts 5–10, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 6–25 cm × 3–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5 mm wide, covering nearly entire length of achene.

(20–)40–80(–100), linear, ± cylindric, scarcely compressed, (4.5–)6–9(–11) × (0.5–) 0.6–0.7(–1) mm;

floral scales persistent, (1–)2–3(–4), appressed, medially green, laterally light brown to tawny or bronze, medially (1–)3-ribbed, laterally 3-ribbed, oblong, (2.6–)2.8–3.2(–3.4) × (1–)1.2(–1.4) mm, apex acute, mucronulate, mucro to 0.1(–0.2) mm.

(20–)40–100(–120), proximal spikelets reflexed somewhat, distal ones divaricate, ± terete, lanceoloid, 6–6.8 × 1–1.4 mm;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–3), appressed, golden brown, lanceolate, laterally 5–6-ribbed, 3.8–4.9 × 1.4–1.6 mm, apex mucronate, mucro at most 0.3 mm.

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;

styles (0.4–)0.6–1(–1.2) mm;

stigmas persistent on achenes, prominently exserted from floral scales, (1.5–)2–3(–4) mm.

anthers 1–1.3 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 2–3 mm.

brown to reddish brown, stipitate, narrowly oblong, 1.8–2.1 × (0.4–)0.5(–0.7) mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex apiculate, acute, surfaces puncticulate.

brown, sessile, linear, 2.5–2.8 × 0.5–0.7 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces muriculate.