Flora of North America species comparison

solitary or few together, 5–35(–70) cm, usually not more than 1 mm diam. basally;

basal sheaths persistent, brown or reddish, septate-nodulose.

(10–)20–90 cm × 0.5–0.8(–1.5) mm, scabrous distally.

blades channeled or strongly involute, 3–12 cm;

distal leaves usually bladeless with black-tipped sheath.

blades trigonous-channeled in cross section, to 45 cm × 1–1.5(–3) mm;

distal leaf blade 3–25 cm × 1–1.5 mm, longer than its (1–)2.5–9 cm sheath.

involucre absent.

blade-bearing involucral bracts solitary, similar to distal leaf, blade sometimes brown proximally, 0.8–6 cm.

solitary, erect, broadly obovoid to subglobose in fruit, 8–12(–40) mm;

scales gray to blackish green;

proximal empty scales not more than 7, ovate, 4–10 mm, midrib not reaching tip;

distal scales narrower, more attenuate, margins hyaline, not more than 1 mm wide.

(1–)2–7, in subumbels, ovoid, 7–10 mm in flower, 20–30 mm in fruit;

peduncles 5–20(–60) mm, scabrous;

scales green to red-brown to almost black, sometimes with green center, ovate-elliptic, 3–4.5 mm, scarious, margins narrow, to 0.2 mm, midrib prominent, fading distally or proximal scale with 2–4 thinner or equally prominent lateral ribs, apex obtuse.

perianth bristles 10 or more, bright white, sometimes red-tinged, 15–30 mm, smooth;

anthers 0.5–1.5 mm.

perianth bristles 10 or more, cream, 10–20 mm, smooth;

anthers 1–2 mm.

narrowly oblong, 0.4–2.5 mm, apex with subulate beak.

narrowly obovoid, 2.5–3 mm.

= 58.