Flora of North America species comparison

20–60 cm × 0.5–0.8 mm, distally smooth.

20–90 cm × 0.9–1.2 mm distally.

blades trigonous-channeled in cross section, to 30 cm × 1–2 mm;

distal leaf blade 1–4 cm × 1–1.5 mm, shorter than its 3.5–5.5 cm sheath.

blades flat, trigonous in cross section distally, to 30 cm × 2–6 mm;

distal leaf blade much longer than sheath.

blade-bearing involucral bracts solitary, similar to distal leaf, blade usually gray or black proximally, 0.6–2 cm.

blade-bearing involucral bracts 2–4, sometimes brown-tinged proximally, leaflike, to 7 cm.

(1–)2–5, in subumbels, narrowly ovoid, 7–10 mm in flower, 15–25 mm in fruit;

peduncles 5–30 mm, scabrous;

scales black or dark gray with black tip, broadly ovate, 3–4 mm, scarious, margins absent or to 0.1 mm wide, 5–9-ribbed, midrib prominent, usually dilated distally, reaching tip, apex obtuse-subacute.

3–30, in subumbels, lax, oblong-ovoid, 6–10 mm in flower, 15–30 mm in fruit;

peduncles (2–)10–60 mm, scabrous;

scales dark green to gray, pale proximally, darker distally, ovate to lanceolate, 4–6 mm, margins scarious 0–0.1 mm wide, to 12 weak lateral ribs, midrib prominent, enlarged distally, reaching tip, sometimes excurrent, apex acute.

perianth bristles 10 or more, white, 10–15 mm, smooth;

anthers 1–2.5 mm.

perianth bristles 10 or more, white to pale brown, 15–25 mm, smooth;

anthers 0.8–2 mm.

narrowly obovoid, 1.5–3 mm.

dark brown, narrowly obovoid, 2.5–3.5 mm.