Flora of North America species comparison

loosely cespitose, light green, 15–25 cm.

loosely cespitose, (20–)30–100 cm, base often reddish, often distinctly so at proximal internodes.

to 5 cm or absent.

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.

sheath throat with long, soft hairs;

basal leaf blade 12–17 cm × 5–10 mm, mostly glabrous;

cauline leaves 3–6, dull yellowish or bluish to gray-green to shiny, bright green, 7–9 cm × 3–5 mm, apex acute to acuminate.

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.

anthelate, few-to-many flowered, 4–20 × 4–12 cm;

major branches spreading less than 90°, lax, often arching;

proximal inflorescence bract inconspicuous to leaflike, to 5(–8) cm;

bract margins entire to lacerate;

bracteoles clear or brown, margins entire to lacerate.

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

anthers equal to or exceeding filaments.

(1–)2–4, crowded or open;

tepals pale brown to brown, broadly lanceolate, 1.8–2.5 mm, apex acute, not reflexed;

anthers equaling to shorter than filaments;

stigmas well exceeding style.

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

straw-colored to dark brown to blackish, spheric, less than 2.5 mm, equal to generally longer than tepals;

beak absent.

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

caruncle barely visible.

brown to brownish red or purple, ellipsoid, 1.1–1.5 mm.

= 36.

= 24.