Flora of North America species comparison

compact.

in narrow fans, 4–15 cm;

sheaths reddish, soft, papillate;

blade deep green, narrowly linear, 0.8–2(–3) mm wide, smooth, margins smooth to papillate.

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.

scape sheaths exceeded by leaves;

scapes linear, wiry, terete, (0.25–)0.5–0.8(–1) mm wide, distally with 2–4 ribs, ribs papillate;

spikes broadly to narrowly ellipsoid or ovoid, 4–8 mm;

fertile bracts 3–4(–4.5) mm, margins erose or minutely fimbriolate, sometimes with narrow reddish border, apex very slightly to slightly keeled.

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.

lateral sepals slightly exserted, straight, 4.2–4.7 mm, keel scarious, entire or apically lacerate, apex red, narrow, firm;

petals unfolding in morning, blade obovate, 3–4 mm;

staminodes bearded.

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.

translucent, narrowly ellipsoid, (0.6–)0.7–0.9(–1) mm, finely lined.

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

= 18.