Flora of North America species comparison

erect to ascending, leafiest at base, triangular, slender, somewhat stiff.

leafiest toward base, ± trigonous, slender.

exceeded by culm;

basal blades crowded, spreadingexcurved, distal ascending, linear, proximally flat, 3–5 mm wide, apex trigonous, shortsubulate.

basal leaves spreadingascending, distal more erect, mostly exceeded by culms (except in highaltitude forms);

blades proximally flat or strongly folded, 1.5–4 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate.

spikelet clusters 3–5, compact, the proximalmost widely spaced, turbinate or lobed to hemispheric; leafy bracts setaceous, mostly overtopping clusters.

spikelet clusters (2–)3–5, compact, proximalmost widely spaced, turbinate to ovoid;

peduncles ascending;

branches ascending to spreading;

leaf bracts exceeding proximalmost clusters, exceeded by distal cluster.

redbrown, broadly ovoid, 3–3.5(–4) mm, apex acuminate;

fertile scales broadly ovate to ± orbiculate, 2–2.5(–3) mm, apex rounded to notched, midrib included or shortexcurrent.

deep redbrown to nearly black, ovoid, 3–4 mm, apex acute;

fertile scales ovate, 2.5–3 mm, apex acute, midrib included or shortexcurrent.

perianth bristles 6, reaching from fruit midbody to tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.

perianth bristles 6, some short, some extending to or nearly to tubercle base, antrorsely barbellate.

1–2 per spikelet, (2–)2.5–2.8(–3) mm;

body brownish, broadly obovoid to nearly orbicular, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 mm;

surfaces strongly transversely wavyrugose, intervals rows of vertical, rectangular alveolae;

tubercle conic-subulate, basal rim flaring above short neck on achene.

2–3 per spikelet, 2–2.1 mm;

body pale yellowbrown, lenticular, broadly ellipsoidobovoid, 1.3–1.6 × 1–1.2 mm;

surfaces transversely irregularly rugulose, intervals with rows of vertical, narrowly rectangular alveolae;

tubercle evenly or concavely triangular, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm.