Flora of North America species comparison

erect, green-brown, simple or branched from base, not wiry, 2–5(–8) cm, glabrous.

erect to ascending, sparingly branched in distal 1/2, not wiry, 25–60 cm.

± uniformly distributed, dense, not articulated to ocreae, basal leaves ± persistent, distal leaves gradually reduced to bracts;

ocrea 2–4(–5) mm, glabrous, proximal part cylindric, distal part deeply lacerate, disintegrating into white, curled fibers;

petiole absent;

blade 3-veined, without pleats, linear-lanceolate, subulate, 5–13(–20) × 0.4–1 mm, margins revolute, smooth, apex spine-tipped.

ocrea 6–12 mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part soon disintegrating into brown fibers, later leaving almost no fibrous remains;

petiole 0–2 mm;

blade light green, linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 8–35 × 2–8 mm, margins flat, apex acute or obtuse;

stem leaves 2.1–4 times as long as adjacent branch leaves;

distal leaves sharply reduced, not overtopping flowers (shorter than or equaling flowers).

axillary;

cymes in most axils, 1-flowered.

axillary and terminal, spikelike;

cymes in distal nodes, 2–6-flowered.

absent.

exserted from ocreae, 2–4 mm.

closed;

perianth 1.5–2(–2.5) mm;

tube 6–15% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, usually reddish with white margins, petaloid, oblong, navicular, apex acute;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

semi-open;

perianth 2–3.5 mm;

tube 18–25% of perianth length;

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

midveins usually unbranched;

stamens 7–8.

slightly exserted from perianth at maturity, dark brown, ovate, 1.2–1.6(–2) mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.

enclosed in perianth, brown, ovate, 3-gonous, (1.6–)1.8–2.6(–3) mm, faces subequal or unequal, apex not beaked, edges concave, shiny, smooth or roughened; late-season achenes common, 4–6 mm.