Flora of North America species comparison

without terminal tubers.

1–many, occasionally becoming decumbent.

erect, terete, 4–6 mm diam., smooth.

0–2.

1–2, straw-colored, apex acute.

basal and cauline;

auricles rudimentary or absent;

blade flat, 3–13 cm × 0.3–1.1 mm.

basal 1–2, cauline 1–2;

auricles 1.2–1.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade straw-colored or green, terete, 20–65 cm × 1.1–3.5 mm, with prominent and conspicuous ringlike bands at position of cross partitions;

distal cauline leaves reduced to 2.5 cm.

loose and diffuse or less often compact, usually at least ½1/2 total height of plant;

primary bract shorter than inflorescence.

terminal panicles of 30–250 heads, 8–12 cm, branches spreading;

primary bract erect to ascending;

heads 2–10-flowered, broadly obovoid to hemispheric, 0.3–0.5 mm diam.

bracteoles 2;

tepals greenish, lanceolate, 3.8–7(–8.5) mm;

inner series slightly shorter, apex sometimes obtuse;

stamens 3–6, filaments (0.7–)1–1.8 mm, anthers 0.3–0.8 mm;

style 0.1–0.2 mm.

tepals straw-colored, lance-subulate, apex acuminate;

outer tepals 1.9–2.2 mm;

inner tepals 1.7–2.1 mm;

stamens 3, anthers equal filament length.

tan to reddish brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid to narrowly so, slightly truncate, 2.7–4 × 1–1.5 mm, sometimes exceeding inner tepals but usually not outer series.

exserted, straw-colored, 1-locular, ovoid, 1.9–2.5 mm, apex acute, valves separating at dehiscence.

yellowish, widely ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.26–0.49, not tailed.

oblong or ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

= 27–37, 58–81, 108–115.