Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green, simple or divaricately branched, ± wiry, 2–20 cm, minutely papillose-scabridulous.

spreading to erect, sometimes zigzagged, purplish, simple or branched, wiry, (5–)10–35 cm, papillose-scabridulous.

crowded at branch tips, not articulated to ocreae, basal leaves caducous or persistent, distal leaves abruptly reduced to bracts;

ocrea 8–13 mm, papillose-scabridulous, proximal part cylindric, distal part overlapping and obscuring leaves and flowers, silvery, entire or shallowly dentate;

petiole absent;

blade 3-veined, without pleats, linear, 5–15(–20) × 0.5–1.5(–2) mm, margins revolute, papillose-denticulate, apex spine-tipped.

evenly distributed or crowded at branch tips, articulated to ocreae, basal leaves persistent, distal leaves gradually reduced to bracts;

ocrea 3–4 mm, papillose-scabridulous, proximal part funnelform, distal part finely lacerate;

petiole 0.1–2 mm;

blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 8–30 × 1–4(–7) mm, margins narrowly revolute, never touching along midrib, smooth, apex acute, mucronate, ± glaucous adaxially.

axillary;

cymes in distal axils, 1-flowered.

axillary and terminal, spikelike, dense;

cymes mostly congested toward tips of branches, 2–3-flowered.

absent.

enclosed in ocreae, erect to spreading, 2–3 mm.

closed;

perianth 2–3 mm;

tube 10–18% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, pink with pink or white margins, petaloid, elliptic, navicular, apex acute to acuminate;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

semi-open or closed;

perianth 1.8–2.4 mm;

tube 25–33% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, greenish, white, or pink with pink margins, petaloid, oblong, cucullate, navicular in distal 1/4, apex rounded;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

enclosed in perianth at maturity, light brown to brown, ovate-elliptic, 1.8–2.3 mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.

enclosed in perianth, black, elliptic to ovate, 1.8–2.3 mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.