Flora of North America species comparison

40–120 cm × 0.6–1 mm, smooth or scabrous distally.

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

blades flat, trigonous in cross section distally, to 30 cm × 1.5–4 mm;

distal leaf blade much longer than 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.

blade-bearing involucral bracts 2–5, sometimes brown-tinged proximally, leaflike, longest 4–12 cm.

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

2–10, usually in dense head, ovoid, 6–10 mm in flower, 10–20 mm in fruit;

peduncles 2–10(–20) mm, scabrid;

scales brown, often with green center, ovate-oblong, 4–5 mm, obscurely ribbed or with 3–5 equally prominent ribs, apex obtuse.

(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 usually 10 or more, brown at least at base, rarely entirely white, 12–18 mm, smooth;

anthers 0.7–1.5 mm.

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

anthers 1–2 mm.

dark brown to black, narrowly obovoid or ellipsoid, 2.5–4 mm.

narrowly obovoid, 2.5–3 mm.