Flora of North America species comparison

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

often spreading or reclining, 2–25 cm × 0.3–1 mm.

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

apex of distal leaf sheath acute to acuminate, tooth sometimes present, to 0.2 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.

ovoid, 2–7 × 1–4 mm, apex subacute;

proximal scale either with flower or empty, base encircling 1/2 of culm;

floral scales 50–100, 10 per mm of rachilla, orange to purple-brown, ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.8 mm, midrib slightly keeled, apex rounded to acute.

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

stamens 3;

anthers brown, 1 mm.

perianth bristles absent;

stamens 2(–3);

anthers yellow, 0.2–0.3 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.

0.7–1 × 0.6–0.9 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 0.1–0.2 × 0.25–0.45 mm, 1/3–1/2 as high as wide, 1/8–1/4 as high and 3/4–9/10 as wide as achene.