Flora of North America species comparison

to 45 cm × 0.2–1 mm.

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

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

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

orbicular to ovoid, 1–9 × 1–4 mm, apex rounded to acute;

proximal scale without flower, not amplexicaulous;

floral scales to 125, 11–14 per mm of rachilla, tightly appressed, dark red-brown to stramineous, ovate to elliptic, 0.8–3 × 0.6–2(–2.3) mm, membranous to cartilaginous, apex rounded to acute.

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 (0–)4–8, typically 7, red-brown, rarely whitish, vestigial to much exceeding tubercle, typically equaling achene, spinules few to dense;

styles 2-fid.

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.

brown ripening to black, biconvex, orbicular to obpyriform, 0.5–1.1 × 0.3–0.7 mm, apex rarely constricted proximal to tubercle, very finely reticulate at 40X.

0.75–1 × 0.6–0.8 mm.

stramineous to whitish, umbonate to subconic, 0.2–0.4 × 0.2–0.5 mm, apex rounded to acute.

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.

= 10.