Flora of North America species comparison

erect to excurvedascending, narrowly linear to ± filiform, terete to obscurely trigonous, leafy, densely so toward base, stiff to rather lax.

leafiest toward base, ± trigonous, slender.

overtopped by culm;

blades linear, ascending, proximally flat, 1–4 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering gradually.

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 1–3(–4), proximal mostly widely spaced, dense, broadly turbinate to hemispheric, to 2 cm broad; leafy bracts subulate, exceeding proximal spikelets, slightly or not exceeding most distal 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, narrowly ovoid, (3–)3.5–5 mm, apex acute;

fertile scales ovate, 3–3.5(–4) mm, apex acute, mostly with cusp or mucro 0.5–1 mm.

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

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

bristles 5–6, from rudimentary to reaching tubercle tip, or (rarely) beyond, antrorsely barbellate.

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

1–3 per spikelet, (1.5–)2–2.2(–2.5) mm;

body dark brown with pale center, lenticular, broadly ellipsoid to ± orbicular, (1.3–)1.5–1.7(–1.9) × 1–1.5 mm, margins pale, narrow or narrowly rounded, flowing to tubercle;

surfaces dull, minutely longitudinally striate;

tubercle compressed, triangular to triangularsubulate, 0.5–0.7(–0.9) mm.

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.