Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending, 10–30 cm;

sheaths glossy light brown or red-brown, firm;

blade green, linear to filiform, often angularly terete, or sulcate, rarely to 1mm wide.

in broad or narrow fans, (5–)10–40(–50) cm;

sheath base tan, straw-colored, or pale pink;

blade pale or olive green, linear-triangular, (2–)3–7(–10) mm wide, smooth or slightly papillate, margins smooth to minutely scabrous or papillate.

scape sheaths exceeded by leaves;

scapes linear, straight or flexuous, terete, 1 mm wide, rarely 1-ribbed;

spikes ovoid to ellipsoid, 4–7 mm, apex acute;

fertile bracts 4–5 mm, margins entire or erose, apex rounded.

scape sheaths much exceeded by leaves;

scapes linear, rarely flexuous, terete or nearly terete, 1–1.5 mm wide, distally usually 2-ribbed, sometimes with additional ribs;

spikes ovoid to ellipsoid, lanceoloid, or cylindric, 10–20(–30) mm;

fertile bracts 5–8 mm, margins entire, apex rounded.

lateral sepals included, reddish brown, slightly curved, less than 5 mm, keel scarious, lacerate from middle to tip;

petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, to 5 mm;

staminodes beardless.

lateral sepals included, dark brown, strongly curved, 4–7 mm, keel firm, ciliate, petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 10 mm;

staminodes bearded.

translucent, fusiform to cylindric, (0.7–)0.8–1 mm, finely lined longitudinally.

translucent, ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, finely multiribbed and cross ribbed.

= 18.

= 18.