Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending, leafy, nearly terete or obscurely angular, many-ribbed, stiff.

lax, erect to ascending-excurved, ± terete, leafy, slender, soft.

exceeding or exceeded by inflorescences;

blades linear, proximally flat, 1–5 mm wide, apex trigonous, tapering.

exceeded by inflorescence;

blades erect or ascending, linear, proximally flat, 2–4 mm wide, apex trigonous, subulate, tapering.

terminal and axillary, clusters of corymbs 1–5, diffuse, branches ascending to divaricate; leafy bracts much exceeding axillary corymbs.

spikelet clusters 4–6, widely spaced, loose, broadly to narrowly turbinate, paniculate, branches capillary, ultimate branches with 1 or 2 spikelets; leafy bracts exceeding proximal clusters, setaceous.

redbrown to dark brown, ovoidlanceoloid, 3–6(–7) mm, apex acute;

fertile scales several, narrowly ovate, 2.5–3.5 mm, apex narrowly acute;

midrib included or shortexcurrent.

solitary or in 2s, brown, ovoid, 2.5–3.5 mm;

fertile scales ovate, 1.5–2.2 mm, apex acute, apiculate.

perianth absent.

perianth bristles 6, reaching tubercle base or slightly beyond, antrorsely barbellate.

1.3–1.5 mm;

body brown to blackish, tumidly lenticular, nearly orbicular, 0.6–1 × 0.6–1 mm, margins distinct, narrow, flowing into base of tubercle;

tubercle flat, narrowly triangular, at least 0.5 mm high, base broadly 2-lobed, apex acuminate.

2–3 per spikelet, 1.5–1.6(–1.8) mm;

body brown or greenish, obovoid, lenticular, 1.1–1.2(–1.3) × 0.7–1 mm, margins narrow, distinct, sharp, flowing to tubercle;

surfaces finely transversely wavyrugulose, intervals of fine, nearly isodiametric or vertical-rectangular pitlike alveolae;

tubercle lowtriangular, entire, 0.3–0.4 mm.