Flora of North America species comparison

profusely branched near apex distally, 11–120 cm × 0.2–1 mm;

internodes 0.5–5.8 cm, without prickles abaxially.

usually recurved with age, 0.5–3.4 cm, stiff in age;

sheath 1–3 mm wide, apex truncate to auriculate;

blade 0.1–1.2 mm wide, margins conspicuously serrulate, teeth 7–15 per side, apex acute, with 1–2 teeth, teeth multicellular;

midvein without prickles abaxially.

nearly opposite or appearing whorled, submersed, sessile;

sheath not persisting longer than blade, not leaving scar when shed, not ligulate, not auriculate or rarely auriculate;

intravaginal squamules scales, 2, linear.

axillary, solitary flowers or cymes, often subtended by spathe as involucre, sessile or short-pedunculate.

1–2 per axil, staminate and pistillate on same plant.

unisexual, staminate and pistillate on same or separate plants; subtending bracts absent;

perianth absent;

stamens 1;

anthers dehiscing irregularly;

pollen spheric;

pistils 1, not stipitate;

ovules basal, anatropous.

in distal axils, 1.9–2.2 mm;

involucre 2-lobed, beaks 0.4–2.1 mm;

anther 1-loculed, 0.3 mm.

achenelike.

1;

embryo straight.