Flora of North America species comparison

3–4 mm diam.

round or flat.

1–2.

basal, 2–4;

sheaths brownish, inflated;

auricles absent or prolonged 1–3 mm, cartilaginous;

blade terete, 30–100 dcm × 2–3 mm.

mostly basal;

sheath margins fused or overlapping, often with 2 earlike extensions (auricles) at blade junction;

blade flat or round, glabrous or margins hairy.

sympodial or appearing lateral, glomerules numerous, each with 2–5 flowers, branches unequal, 5–20 cm;

primary bract inflated, usually shorter than inflorescence.

of headlike clusters or single flowers variously arranged;

bracts subtending inflorescence 1 or more2, mostly leaflike;

bracts subtending inflorescence branches 1–2, reduced;

bracteoles subtending solitary flower 0–2, translucent, reduced.

tepals straw-colored, brown-tipped, 2–4 mm;

outer tepals widely lanceolate, margins scarious, apex obtuse to acutish;

inner tepals rounded, shorter;

stamens 6, filaments 0.2–0.4 mm, anthers 1.2–1.8 mm;

style 1–1.2 mm.

usually bisexual, radially symmetric;

sepals and petals similar, persistent, green to brown or purplish black;

stamens usually 3 or 6;

anthers persistent, linear;

pistils 1;

ovaries superior, locules 1 or 3, placentas 1 and basal or 3 and axile or parietal;

stigmas generally longer than styles.

capsules, loculicidal.

yellow-brown, pseudo-3-locular, nearly globose, 3.5–5 × 2.4–3.3 mm, obviously exceeding perianth, mucronate.

brownish, obliquely obovoid, body 0.6–0.7 mm, tails 0.2–0.3 mm.

3–many, often with white appendages on 1 or both ends.