Herbs, perennial, cespitose. Culms with cormlike bases, sharply trigonous, 25–90 cm, glabrous proximally, minutely scabridulous distally. Leaves V-shaped, 14–40 cm × 3.5–8 mm, (pubescent on adaxial side of midrib). Inflorescences: spikes loose, obtrulloid to obdeltoid (broadest near apex, nearly as long as wide), 20–28(–34) × (12–)15–30 mm; rays 4–13, (1–)4–24 cm (longest ray shorter than bracts), glabrous; bracts 3–12, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 3–25 cm × 3–7 mm; rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide, covering 3/4 of mature achene. Spikelets 30–50, proximal one reflexed, distal ones divaricate, linear-lanceoloid, ± terete, (6.5–) 8–10(–17) × 0.5–0.7 mm; floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, stramineous (suffused with reddish purple), 4–5-ribbed laterally, ovate-lanceolate, (4–)4.4–4.9(–5.4) × 1.3–1.5 mm; terminal scale not spinose, apex straight, excurved mucronate, or cuspidate. Flowers: anthers 0.7–1.2 mm; styles 1.5–2 mm; stigmas 2–2.5 mm. Achenes brown to brownish black, narrowly oblong, (2.2–)2.5–3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.
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Tufted perennial, the cormose stem-bases joined by short rhizomes; stems rigid, 3–9 dm, acutely trigonous, antrorsely scabrous above, often smooth near the base; lvs 4–8, 3.5–8 mm wide, minutely rough-puberulent across the surface beneath and on the midrib above; bracts 3–12, the longest one at least as long as the longest ray; rays 4–13, glabrous, the longest 1–2 dm; prophylls smooth to ciliate; spikes obovoid or shortly obconic, 2–3 cm, less than twice as long as thick, the axis 10–22 mm; spikelets stramineous or dull greenish, often suffused with anthocyanin, 1–2(–4)-fld, subulate-acuminate, 8–10(–15) mm, crowded, the uppermost widely spreading or recurved, the others reflexed; scales closely appressed, lance-ovate, acute, (4–)4.5–5(–5.5) mm; achenes trigonously oblong, held between the hyaline wings of the rachilla for 3/4 their length. Pastures, roadsides, and other disturbed places; N.J. to Ga., w. to s. O., Mo., and Ark. (C. dipsaciformis)
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