Flora of North America species comparison

3–4 mm diam.

round or flattened in cross section.

1–2.

often present at culm base.

basal, 2–4;

sheaths brownish, inflated;

auricles absent or prolonged 1–3 mm, cartilaginous;

blade terete, 30–100 dcm × 2–3 mm.

sheaths open;

blade flat, channeled, ensiform or terete, sometimes septate, margins involute.

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

primary bract inflated, usually shorter than inflorescence.

terminal or pseudoaxillary, monochasia or dichasia, usually with monochasial branches, cymes or 1–many heads in racemes or panicles;

bracteoles 2 or absent.

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.

tepals (4–)6 in 2 whorls;

stamens (2–)3–6.

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

1-locular or 3-locular, septicidal.

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

many, ellipsoid to ovoid, sometimes tailed.