Flora of North America species comparison

not rooting at tips, terete, 10–40 cm, soft to firm, smooth.

often spreading or declining, 3–30 cm × 0.5–1 mm.

distal leaf sheaths proximally brownish or sometimes reddish, distally stramineous to green.

apex of distal leaf sheath obtuse, tooth to 0.2(–0.5) mm.

ovoid to oblong-subcylindric, 4–12 × 2–3.5 mm, apex acute to rounded;

proximal scale empty, clasping 1/2 of culm, like floral scales;

subproximal 1 or 2 scales often empty;

floral scales 20–100, 10 per mm of rachilla, entirely stramineous or sometimes red-brown, ovate, (1.5–)2–2.5 × 1.5 mm, apex broadly rounded, entire.

ellipsoid to ovoid, 3–10 × 2–4 mm, apex blunt to subacute;

floral scales 10–100+, 10 per mm of rachilla, colorless to pale brownish except for green midrib, 1.5–2 × 1 mm, midribs not keeled, apex rounded.

perianth bristles (5–)6(–8), brown, stout, the longer equaling achene or tubercle, retrorsely spinulose;

stamens 3;

anthers brown, 1 mm.

perianth bristles absent or 2–4, stramineous or whitish, shorter than to nearly 1/2 achene, very slender, without spinules;

stamens 2(–3);

anthers 0.3–0.5 mm;

styles 2-fid or some 3-fid.

falling with scales, obovoid, angles keeled, 0.8–1 × 0.7–0.8 mm, apex with short neck.

0.75–1 × 0.6–0.8 mm.

whitish to brown, mammillate to pyramidal, 0.2–0.3 × 0.3–0.35 mm, 1/3 or less as wide as achene.

deltoid, 0.2–0.3 × 0.35–0.45(–0.55) mm, 1/2–3/4as high as wide, 1/4–1/3 as high and 1/2–2/3(–4/5) as wide as achene.