Flora of North America species comparison

lax, leafy, wandlike, ± terete to obscurely angled, slender.

stiffly erect, leafy, triangular, multiribbed.

ascending, exceeded by culms;

blades flat, 4–7(–10) mm wide, apex trigonous, shortacuminate, tapering.

ascending, overtopped by inflorescence;

principal leaves flat proximally, 3–12 mm wide, apex attenuate, trigonous.

spikelet clusters 4–6 or more, equidistant along culm on ascending peduncles, branches capillary, divaricate, clusters loose, diffuse, rounded.

terminal and axillary from distal culm nodes, mostly diffuse clusters of corymbs;

clusters mostly loose;

bracteal leaves usually exceeded by inflorescences.

light brown, ellipsoid to lanceoloid or ovoid, 2.5–3.5 mm, apex acute;

fertile scales ovate, (1.5–)2–3 mm, apex rounded or acute, midrib forming apiculus.

red-brown or orangish tint, lanceoloid, 13–18 mm, apex acuminate;

fertile scales lance-ovate, 10–13 mm, apex acute to acuminate, midrib short-excurrent, minutely scabrous.

perianth bristles 6, longest exceeding tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.

longer perianth bristles extending from near tubercle base to 3 mm beyond, antrorsely barbellate.

2–several per spikelet, 1.3–1.5 mm;

body pale brown, broadly obovoid, tumidly biconvex, 1.1–1.2 × 1–1.1 mm;

surfaces transversely sharply wavyrugulose, intervals with vertical, rectangular, shallow alveolae;

tubercle depressedconic, slightly compressed, 0.2–0.3(–0.4) mm, edges setulose.

1–2 per spikelet, 15–24 mm;

body pyriform-obovoid, compressed, 4–5 × 2.8–3.5 mm, margins thick;

surfaces concave, finely transversely striate, minutely cancellate;

tubercle abruptly subulate, 2-grooved, 11–20 mm.