The leaves of Luzula are primarily basal; cauline leaves are usually reduced. Luzula species have diffuse centromeres and small chromosomes. That has resulted in much confusion in interpretation and reporting of chromosome counts. No attempt has been made to include reported counts that could not reasonably be verified by the author.

Excluded species: Luzula sudetica (Willdenow) de Candolle. Although reports of this European species appear frequently in the North American literature, I have seen no specimens that confirm its presence. No chromosome counts are published for North American material. Since this species has a distinct cytotype, 2n = 48 (H. Nordenskiöld 1956), it should not be difficult to verify on this basis.