Flora of North America species comparison

fertile ones upright or nearly so;

nodes without axillary bulblets.

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.

5–8 per culm;

sheaths of proximal leaves red;

proximal sheaths and blades with septa many, conspicuous;

blades 30–68 cm × 9–23 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.

terminal;

rays divaricate or occasionally ascending, proximal branches scabrellous (rarely smooth), distal branches scabrous, rays without axillary bulblets;

bases of involucral bracts green or reddish, 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.

in dense clusters of (1–)3–13(–24), (largest cluster with 7 or more), spikelets sessile, ovoid or narrowly ovoid, 2–6 × 1–3 mm;

scales black with green midribs, ovate or broadly rounded-ovate to nearly triangular or broadly triangular, 1–2.2 mm, apex rounded to mucronate, mucro (if present) to 0.2 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.

perianth bristles brittle-based, readily detached from achene, 6, stout, straight or curved, shorter than to 1.5 times as long as achene, with retrorse, thick-walled, sharp-pointed teeth densely arranged almost to base, at maturity projecting beyond 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.

pale brown, oblong-elliptic to broadly elliptic or obovate in outline, plano-convex or sometimes plumply trigonous, 1–1.6 × (0.6–)0.8–1 mm.

= 50–60.

= 64.