Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green, simple or divaricately branched, ± wiry, 4–40 cm, papillose-scabridulous.

mostly ascending or erect, branched from base, not wiry, 20–80 cm.

uniformly distributed, not articulated to ocreae, basal leaves usually caducous, distal leaves abruptly reduced to bracts;

ocrea 5–10 mm, glabrous or papillose-scabridulous, proximal part cylindric, distal part white or tawny, disintegrating into ± bristly-fringed fibers;

petiole absent;

blade 3-veined, without pleats, linear, 5–25(–30) × 0.5–2 mm, margins revolute, papillose-denticulate or smooth, apex mucronate or weakly spine-tipped.

ocrea 7–9 mm, proximal part cylindic, distal part disintegrating into straight fibers;

petiole 0.2–1 mm;

blade green or bluish green, linear to lanceolate, 25–40 × 4–8 mm, margins flat, apex acute;

stem leaves 2–4 times as long as branch leaves;

distal leaves abruptly reduced and not overtopping flowers (shorter than or equaling flowers).

axillary;

cymes in distal axils, 1-flowered.

axillary and terminal, spikelike;

cymes aggregated at tips of stems and branches, 1–3-flowered.

absent.

enclosed in ocreae, 1.5–2 mm.

open or closed;

perianth 2.5–3.5 mm;

tube 10–20% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, uniformly white to pink, petaloid, elliptic, navicular, apex acute to acuminate;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

closed or semi-open;

perianth 2.2–3 mm;

tube 15–30% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, green with white to pink margins, petaloid, not keeled, oblong, cucullate;

veins branched;

stamens 8.

enclosed in or slightly exserted from perianth, brown, narrowly elliptic, 1.8–2.2 mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.

slightly exserted from perianth, light brown to dark brown, ovate, 3-gonous, 2–2.3(–2.8) mm, faces subequal, concave, apex not beaked, edges concave, dull, striate-tubercled; late-season achenes uncommon, 2.5–4 mm.