Flora of North America species comparison

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

stiffly erect, leafy, triangular, multiribbed;

principal leaves overtopped by culm;

blades flat, 3–20 mm wide, apex attenuate, trigonous.

ascending, exceeded by culms;

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

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

terminal and axillary, diffuse clusters of corymbs, fascicles turbinate to hemispheric;

bracts often overtopping clusters.

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.

few to several per cluster, brown or reddish brown, lanceoloid, 10–15 mm, apex narrowly acute;

fertile scales broadly lanceolate, (7.5–)10–13(–14) mm, apex acute, midrib shortexcurrent or not.

perianth bristles 6, longest exceeding tubercle, antrorsely barbellate.

perianth bristles 5–6, longest reaching to or slightly beyond fruit midbody, 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, 13–20(–25) mm;

body oblongellipsoid, compressed, 4–5(–6) × 2–3 mm, base narrowed, short, margins thickened, often crimped, surfaces concave, striate, minutely cancellate or pebbled;

tubercle subulate, 2-grooved, 10–15(–20) mm, scabridulous.

= 18.