Flora of North America species comparison

1–8, 0.3–0.5 mm diam.

round or flat.

1–2.

basal, 2–4;

auricles slightly prolonged, rounded, scarious to ± leathery;

blade deeply channeled, 2–10 cm, mostly shorter than culms.

mostly basal;

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

blade flat or round, glabrous or margins hairy.

solitary heads, each with 2–3(–50) flowers;

primary bracts brownish, nearly equal to or slightly shorter thanabout equaling 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 pale brown or darker, oblong-lanceolate, 3–5 mm, outer and inner series nearly equal;

stamens 6, filaments 2.5–4 mm, anthers 0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.5–0.8 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.

tan, pseudo-3-locular, 3-gonous–cylindric, apex obtuse, mucronate.

tan or darker, fusiform, body 0.5–1 mm, tails 0.6–1 mm.

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