Flora of North America species comparison

erect to leaning, smooth except in inflorescence.

tufted or regularly spaced along rhizome, slender, wandlike, frequently hispidulous distally.

all sheaths hispid-hirsute, sometimes also hirtellous;

principal blades linear, 8–20 cm, abaxially puberulent, hispid-hirsute, adaxially hispid-hirsute-ciliate, scabridulous.

principal blades at mid and distal culm, short-linear, 1.5–5 cm, puberulent distally.

in clusters of terminal spikelets or from 1–3 penultimate nodes, proximalmost involucral bract longest, exceeding inflorescence, distal 1–2 bracts shorter.

terminal, of 1–2 clusters;

spikelets 1 or 2–5 per cluster, subtending involucral bract longer than spikelets.

ovoid to cylindric-lanceoloid, 1–2 cm, apex acute;

fertile scales 2.5–3.5 mm;

cusp excurved, more than 1/2 length of scale, scabrid;

ribs 3–5(–7).

cylindric-lanceoloid or lance-ovoid, 10 mm, apex acute;

fertile scales mostly obovate, 2.5–3.5 mm;

mucro erect, 1/2 or more length of scale;

median ribs 5–7, 3 convergent to mucro.

perianth bristles reaching base of perianth blades or beyond, retrorsely barbellate;

perianth blades narrowly to broadly ovate, uniformly compressed or distally tumid, 1 mm, base 3-ribbed, apex incurved, acuminate;

anthers 3, 1 mm.

perianth bristles reaching base of perianth blades, retrorsely scabrid;

perianth blades oblong-obovate, as long as claws, base flattened, 3-ribbed, apex thickened, narrowly acuminate, sharp;

anthers mostly 3, 1.3–1.5 mm.

stipe shorter than perianth stipe;

body angles wirelike, pale, faces deep brown to chestnut brown, faintly cross-lined, 1 mm.

body angles pale, wirelike, faces lustrous red-brown or chestnut brown, 1 mm;

beak narrow, linear, hispidulous at tip.

= 46.

= 46.