Flora of North America species comparison

loosely cespitose, light green, 15–25 cm.

densely to loosely cespitose, 10–40 cm.

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.

basal leaves 3.5–12 cm × 2–6 mm;

cauline leaves equaling or exceeding inflorescences.

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.

glomerules 3–16 (each with 8–16 flowers), 1–2 nearly sessile with others on evident peduncles, mostly cylindric;

secondary branches sometimes present, usually straight, erect;

proximal inflorescence bract barely as long as to exceeding inflorescence.

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

anthers equal to or exceeding filaments.

tepals pale brown to chestnut brown to blackish with clear margins, 2–4 mm;

outer and inner whorl ± equal, or outer whorl slightly longer (outer whorl pointed, inner whorl pointed or truncate-mucronate);

anthers not more than 2 times filament length;

stigmas 0.8–1.5 mm;

styles not persistent in fruit.

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

pale to brown to black, globose, shorter than to ± equaling tepals.

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

caruncle barely visible.

1.1–1.7 mm;

caruncles 0.2–0.6 mm.

= 36.