Flora of North America species comparison

loosely cespitose, light green, 15–25 cm.

densely cespitose, stiffly erect, reddish brown, 3–26 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 reddish, 2.5–7 cm × 2–5 mm, firm, apex callous, glabrous.

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.

pyramidal, 5–10 mm wide;

glomerules 1–5, sessile, sometimes with 1–2 smaller glomerules on short peduncles;

proximal inflorescence bract conspicuous, reddish, usually exceeding inflorescence, generally stiff;

bracteoles clear.

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

anthers equal to or exceeding filaments.

tepals very dark with clear margins, 2–3 mm;

outer whorl slightly exceeding inner whorl;

anthers ± equaling filaments.

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

dark brown to black in distal portion, much shorter than tepals; (beak 0.3 mm).

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

caruncle barely visible.

dark brown, oval, 0.8 mm;

caruncle about 0.2 mm.

= 36.

= 20, 22.