Flora of North America species comparison

fertile ones upright or nearly so;

nodes without axillary bulblets.

6–11 per culm;

sheaths of proximal leaves light brown;

proximal sheaths and blades with septa many, ± conspicuous;

blades 20–54 cm × 7–17 mm.

terminal, rarely also with 1 lateral inflorescence from distal leaf axil;

rays ascending or divergent (commonly both in the same inflorescence), proximal branches smooth, distal branches scabrellous to scabrous, rays often bearing axillary bulblets;

bases of involucral bracts green, margins usually speckled with red-brown, rarely solid black, not glutinous.

in dense clusters of 4–110 (largest cluster with 17–25+), spikelets sessile, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, 2–5(–8) × 1–2.5 mm;

scales dark brown with pale midribs, elliptic or broadly elliptic (rarely almost circular), 1.2–2.1 mm, apex mucronate, mucro 0.1–0.3(–0.4) mm.

perianth bristles persistent, (5–)6, rather stout to somewhat slender, straight or curved, shorter than to slightly exceeding achene, with retrorse, thin-walled, round-tipped barbs in distal 0.3–0.6, enclosed within scales;

styles 3-fid.

light brown, elliptic or obovate in outline, plumply trigonous or plano-convex, (0.8–)1–1.3 × 0.4–0.6 mm.

= 50–60.