Flora of North America species comparison

horizontal, short.

densely cespitose, 10–30(–35) cm.

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

to 5 cm or absent.

basal blade green, 5–10 cm × 2–4 mm, firm, essentially glabrous;

cauline leaves 2–3, 3–7 cm × 3–5 mm.

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.

branches spreading less than 90°, lax;

proximal inflorescence bract leaflike, 0.8–1.5 cm;

bracts and bracteoles brown, clear at apex, margins strongly ciliate.

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.

single or in clusters of 2–3;

tepals dark brown, 1–2.5 mm, ± equal, apex acute, not reflexed;

anthers ± equaling filament length;

stigmas 5 times style length.

(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.

dark brown, ellipsoid, shorter than 2.5 mm, longer than tepals;

beak absent.

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

beak absent.

light yellow-brown, lanceolate, narrowed at ends, 1.2 mm.

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

= 24.

= 24.