Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green, simple or branched, ± wiry, 15–60 cm, usually papillose-scabridulous.

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

uniformly distributed, articulated to ocreae, basal leaves often caducous, distal leaves abruptly reduced to bracts, articulated to ocreae;

ocrea 5–12 mm, glabrous or papillose-scabridulous, proximal part cylindric, distal part lacerate or disintegrating into fibers;

petiole 0.1–2 mm;

blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear to narrowly oblong or lanceolate, 15–70 × 2–8 mm, margins revolute, papillose-denticulate, apex acute or mucronate.

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 and terminal, spikelike, elongate;

cymes spaced along branches, 2–5-flowered.

axillary and terminal, spikelike, dense;

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

exserted from ocreae, reflexed, 0.5–1 mm.

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

open or semi-open;

perianth (3.5–)4–5 mm;

tube 9–17% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, uniformly white to pink, petaloid, oblong to oblong-obovate, cucullate, navicular in distal 1/4, apex rounded;

midveins unbranched or with short lateral branches;

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, black, elliptic, 3.5–5 mm, faces subequal, shiny or dull, smooth or striate-tubercled.

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