Flora of North America species comparison

compact.

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.

in narrow to broad fans, 5–50 cm;

sheaths soft, base reddish;

blade deep green, linear to linear—sword-shaped, flat, not twisted, under 7 mm wide, papillate or smooth, margins smooth or papillate, somewhat scabrous.

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 to filiform, terete proximally, terete or ancipital-2-edged–winged distally, 0.5–3 mm wide, variably ribbed, distally with 3 or more somewhat scabrous ribs, ribs papillate to scabrous;

spikes prevalently ovoid, 5–20 mm, apex usually acute;

fertile bracts (4–)5–7(–9) mm, margins entire, 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, slightly curved, 5–7 mm, keel brown, scarious, lacerate;

petals unfolding in morning, blade obtriangular, 4 mm;

staminodes bearded.

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

translucent to mealy, ovoid to ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, finely lined longitudinally with small papillae.