Flora of North America species comparison

sometimes in tufts, erect, slender, 30–50 cm, wiry, glabrous, trigonous, base somewhat swollen, brown.

sometimes in tufts, erect, stout to slender or almost filiform, 20–70 cm, glabrous or hairy, especially on angles distally.

sheaths purplish, wingless, weakly ribbed, glabrous or minutely hirsute;

contra-ligules absent;

blades linear or filiform, shorter than culms, resembling them, strongly keeled, 1–2 mm wide, glabrous or slightly scabrous on margins.

sheaths sometimes purplish, not or scarcely winged, weakly ribbed, densely pubescent or glabrous;

contra-ligules subrotund to triangular, short;

blades linear, keeled, obtuse, shorter than, equaling, or overtopping culm, 1–7 mm wide, ciliate or glabrous.

terminal, 0.4–1 cm;

fascicles 1, 4–10 mm wide, each with 1–5(–8) spikelets;

bracts subtending inflorescence awl-shaped, 1–9(–11) cm, glabrous, appearing to be continuation of culm.

terminal and axillary, fasciculate, 0.5–2.5 cm;

clusters few to many flowered, 5–10 mm wide, each with 2–4(–5) spikelets;

axillary clusters sometimes on short erect to slender filiform peduncles;

bracts subtending inflorescence leaflike, awl-shaped, to 15+ cm, often appearing to be continuation of culm, conspicuously ciliate or glabrous.

bisexual and staminate, 4–6(–7) mm;

staminate scales lanceolate, membranous, pistillate scales ovate-lanceolate, acuminate.

bisexual and staminate, 4–8 mm;

staminate scales lanceolate, membranous;

pistillate scales ovate-acuminate, midrib conspicuous.

dull white or often light to dark gray, trigonous, ovoid, usually ribbed with 3 ridges extending from base along angles to apex, 2–3 mm, glabrous, base trigonous, pointed, 6-porose with 2 yellowish, granulose pits on each somewhat concave side, apex mucronate;

hypogynium obsolete, reduced to minute brownish ring distal to pointed base.

whitish or often brownish gray, globose, 2–3 mm, base constricted, trigonous, apex usually umbonate, tuberculate or verrucose, rarely smooth, papillate at base;

hypogynium golden brown, obtusely 3-angled border, supporting 3 yellowish, globose, spiculose or pulverulent, entire or 2-lobed tubercles.