Flora of North America species comparison

2–35 cm × 0.3–1 mm.

sometimes ascending, subterete, elliptic, or polygonal, (1–)3–7.5(–9) cm × 0.2–0.5 mm, very soft.

apex of distal leaf sheath obtuse to acute, tooth to 0.2 mm.

distal leaf sheaths persistent or disintegrating, colorless, stramineous or green, spotted red-brown to purple, membranous, apex narrowly acute.

ovoid, 2–8 × 2–4 mm, apex acute (to blunt);

floral scales 25–100+, ca. 10 per mm of rachilla, orange-brown, rarely stramineous, ovate, 1.5–2 × 1 mm, midribs often keeled in distal part of spikelet, apex rounded to subacute.

basal spikelets absent; never proliferous, ovoid or ellipsoid, terete, 2–4.7(–8.5) × 1–2 mm, apex acute to blunt;

proximal scale empty or with flower, persistent, clasping 1/2 of culm, similar to floral scales (but 1.1–1.7 mm, midrib region broadly green);

subproximal scale with a flower;

floral scales spiraled, 10–30(–100), 10–16 per mm of rachilla, colorless, whitish, or pale brown, mottled red-brown to purple, midribs pale brown or green, ovate or elliptic, 1–1.2 × 0.45–0.6 mm, membranous, midrib prominent, apex rounded.

perianth bristles present, rarely absent, (5–)6–7, brown, fairly slender, exceeding tubercle;

stamens 2(–3);

anthers brown, 0.3 mm;

styles 2-fid or some 3-fid.

perianth absent;

stamens 1;

anthers 0.2–0.3 mm;

styles 3-fid.

0.75–1 × 0.6–0.85 mm.

colorless (appearing green-brown from enclosed seed) or whitish, sometimes spotted red-brown, obovoid, trigonous, angles prominent, 0.5–0.6 × 0.33–0.4 mm, apex constricted proximal to tubercle, smooth.

deltoid, 0.3–0.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 3/5 of to as high as wide, 1/3–2/3 as high and 1/2–3/4 as wide as achene.

white, gray or pale brown, pyramidal or umbonate, trigonous, 0.1–0.15 × 0.15–0.2 mm.

= 10.