Flora of North America species comparison

wand-like, at least 50 cm.

nearly distichous, spreading to ascending, 1/2 length of culms, sheath margins ciliolate at junction with blade, backs smooth to pubescent;

ligule present, usually complete;

blades linear, 2–5 mm wide, flat to involute, margins scabridulous, surfaces mostly glabrous.

distichous, in fans, to ca. 2/3 plant height;

sheaths keeled, equitant, margins entire;

ligule absent;

blades bifacial (flattened in same plane as sheath), narrowly triangularlinear, to 2 mm wide, margins scabrid at least distally.

anthelae compound, dense or diffuse, mostly longer than broad;

scapes wandlike, broadly linear, distally usually compressed, marginal ribs scabrid distally;

longest primary involucral bract exceeding or shorter than anthela.

anthela compound, usually diffuse, branched, broadening upward, often as broad as long;

scapes slender, angularly ribbed and/or somewhat compressed distally, 1–1.5 mm wide or thick;

involucral bracts exceeded by anthela.

pale brown or red-brown, broadly ovoid, ellipsoid, or lanceoloid, 5–15 mm;

fertile scales ovate, 3–4 mm, apex rounded, often puberulent distally, midrib excurrent as scabrid mucro or short cusp.

dark red-brown, broadly ovoid to near round, 2–4 min;

fertile scales broadly ovate to orbiculate, 1 mm, glabrous, apex broadly rounded, midrib not excurrent.

stamens 3;

styles 2-fid, flat, fimbriolate.

stamens 1–2;

styles 3-fid, slender, base dilated, apex pubescent.

pale to deep brown, lenticular-obovoid, 1 mm, finely but definitely cancellate with 14–15 horizontally oriented lattices per side.

pale brown, tumid, obovoid, 1 mm, apiculate, reticulate, with pits narrowly rectangular in 4–6 vertical rows per side, the longitudinal ribs most prominent and mostly warty.

= 20, 30, 60.

= 10.