Flora of North America species comparison

2–12(–19) cm × 0.2–0.4 mm.

3–50(–90) cm × 0.2–2 mm.

distal leaf sheaths firm, distally tightly sheathing, apex acute.

apex of distal leaf sheath obtuse to acute, tooth to 0.3 mm.

ovoid to ellipsoid, 2–6(–8) × 1–2.5 mm, apex acute;

proximal scale with or without flower, not amplexicaulous;

floral scales to 100, 15–19 per mm of rachilla, often loosely appressed, dark red-brown to stramineous, ovate to elliptic, 0.6–1.3 × 0.3–0.7 mm, membranous, apex rounded to acute.

broadly ovoid (to ellipsoid or lanceoloid), apex rounded (to acute), (2–)5–13 × (2–)3–4 mm;

floral scales 15–150+, 8–20 per mm of rachilla, orange-brown (to stramineous), elliptic, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, midribs seldom keeled, apex broadly rounded.

perianth bristles (0–)4–6, typically 4, colorless to whitish, vestigial to 1/2 as long as achene, smooth or spinuliferous;

styles 2-fid.

perianth bristles (5–)6–7, rarely 0, brown, stout, slightly to usually greatly exceeding tubercle;

stamens usually 3;

anthers brown to yellow, 0.3–0.6 mm;

styles usually 3-fid and 2-fid in same spikelet.

black, obovoid, biconvex, 0.3–0.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, apex often constricted proximal to tubercle, smooth at 40X.

0.9–1.2(–1.3) × 0.7–0.9 mm.

stramineous to whitish, umbonate to subconic, 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute.

deltoid 0.35–0.5 × (0.4–)0.5–0.8 mm, 1/3–2/3 as high as wide, 1/3–1/2 as high and 2/3–9/10 as wide as achene.

= 20.

= 10.