Flora of North America species comparison

short, slender, bearing few to several white, swollen (storage) leaf bases.

weakly cespitose or solitary, 8–40 cm.

basal leaves few;

cauline leaves 2–3, to 17 cm × 7 mm, margins scarcely to densely ciliate.

glomerules 3–20 (each with 6–20 flowers), central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, cylindric, 5–12 × 5–7 mm;

peduncles straight, erect, 0.5–7 cm;

proximal inflorescence bract leaflike (margins pilose), shorter than inflorescence, margins pilose;

bracts purplish with long clear apex, sheathing, margins sparsely to densely ciliate;

bracteoles white-clear, shining, margins fimbriate.

tepals with shining chestnut centers and usually wide clear margins and apex, 2–3 mm;

outer whorl usually exceeding inner whorl, at least by awned tip;

anthers 1–2 times filament length;

stigmas 3–4 times length of styles.

brown, shining, obovoid (apex truncate), equal or longer than tepals, apex truncate.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.9–1.3 mm;

caruncle 0.5–0.7 mm.

= 12.