Flora of North America species comparison

short, oblique.

hollow, glabrous.

distally branched, terete.

basal sheaths blackish, conspicuously wider than leaf blades;

blades 10–40 cm × 0.8–2 mm, margins involute, smooth or scabridulous.

basal;

ligules absent;

blades involute or subcylindric.

loosely ovoid, 1–2 cm;

bracts 1 or 2, oblique to erect, green to dark brown or black, 1–6 cm × 1–1.5 mm.

terminal, sometimes pseudolateral, capitate [diffusely branched];

spikelets (1–)10–25, black or very dark purple;

involucral bracts 1–2, spreading or erect, leaflike.

(1–)10–25, flattened, oblong-ellipsoid;

rachilla wingless, ± deciduous at maturity;

basal scales 2–3, sterile;

floral scales 3–8, laterally veinless, medially 1-veined, oblong, apex acute, not mucronate, distally scabrellate.

scales 3–8, distichous, black or very dark purple, 2–3 proximal scales empty, distal scales each subtending flower.

perianth bristles 0–6, smooth or scabrellate;

anthers linear, connective apices subulate, conspicuous;

styles 0.6–1 mm;

stigmas 0.5 mm.

bisexual;

perianth bristles 0–6, shorter or longer than achene, smooth or scabrous;

stamens 3;

styles deciduous, linear, 3-fid.

whitish, ovoid to ellipsoid, 1–1.5 × 0.9–1.2 mm, glossy, apex obtuse, smooth or barely reticulate.

rounded-trigonous to subterete.

= 54, 55.