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.

polystichous, spreading to ascending, mostly excurved, exceeding or exceeded by culms;

sheaths entire, backs glabrous;

ligule absent;

blades setaceous-filiform, to 0.5 mm wide, flat to involute, sparsely scabrid-ciliate.

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.

anthelae mostly simple, open, nearly as broad as long, ascending-branching, umbelliform, of 3–10 cormose spikelets;

scapes filiform, 0.5–0.6 mm thick;

proximalmost involucral bracts setaceous-bladed, exceeding 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.

pale green to light brown, ovoid to globose or short-cylindric, 2–5 mm;

fertile scales lance-linear to oblong-linear, 1.5 mm, glabrous, midrib strongly excurrent, erect to excurved cusp.

stamens 3;

styles 2-fid, flat, fimbriolate.

stamens 1;

styles 2-fid, slender, glabrous.

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

pale brown with iridescent tints, curved-cylindric, 0.4–0.6 mm, finely reticulate, in 12 vertical rows of narrowly rectangular, horizontal cells.

= 20, 30, 60.

= 10.