Flora of North America species comparison

densely cespitose, 5-20 cm.

loosely cespitose, light green, 15–25 cm.

sheaths brown to straw-colored;

basal leaves to 10 cm × 4 mm;

cauline leaves usually 2, reduced.

sheaths dull brown-gray at base, becoming green distally, throats hairless;

basal leaves flat toward base, channeled toward apex, 4–16 cm × 3–8 mm, apex abruptly pointed, callous, glabrous.

glomerules 1-3, sessile;

proximal inflorescence bract inconspicuous, brown, much shorter to ± equaling inflorescence, apex often clear, dentate;

bracts deep brown, margins dentate;

bracteoles deep brown, margins dentate.

asymmetric in appearance;

glomerules (1–)2–5, central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, 3–9 × 2.5–6 mm;

capillary branches 2–8, arched in 1 direction, to 3.5 cm;

proximal inflorescence bract bladeless.

tepals deep brown with narrow clear margins and apex, 1.7-2.1 mm;

anthers ± equaling filament length.

tepals brownish translucent (apex lacerate to entire), 2–3 mm, apex lacerate to entire;

anthers equal to or exceeding filaments.

dark reddish to blackish, shining, spheric, 1.8-2.1 mm, usually exceeding tepals.

light chestnut brown, broadly 3-angled, shorter than tepals.

translucent, clear brown, broadly elliptic, with few entangled hairs, 1-1.2 mm.

most failing to mature, brown (with few hairs present), 3-angled, 0.9–1.1 mm, few hairs present;

caruncle barely visible.

= 24.

= 36.