Flora of North America species comparison

8-100 cm, erect or decumbent at the base, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, with (2)3-6(8) nodes.

15-82 cm, erect, with (3)4-7 nodes.

mostly cauline;

sheaths smooth or slightly scabrous;

ligules (1)1.7-8(11.2) mm, dorsal surfaces scabrous, apices truncate to obtuse, lacerate to erose;

blades 4-15 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, flat.

cauline and basal;

sheaths smooth;

ligules (0.7) 1.2-4 mm, dorsal surfaces scabrous, apices usually rounded to truncate, sometimes acute, lacerate-erose;

blades 3-10 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, flat, becoming involute, or folded.

(3)5-30 cm long, 0.5-4 cm wide, contracted, spikelike, oblong, or lanceolate, usually dense, rarely more open, sometimes interrupted near the base, bases usually exserted, rarely enclosed by the upper sheaths at maturity, lowest node with 1-5 branches;

branches scabrous, ascending to appressed, spikelet-bearing to or near the base, usually hidden by the spikelets, spikelets crowded, lower branches 1-2(4) cm;

pedicels 0.2-4.3 mm.

(5)10-25(36) cm long, (3)4-24 cm wide, broadly ovate, often nearly as wide as long, diffuse, the whole panicle often detaching at the base at maturity, forming a tumbleweed, bases often enclosed by the upper sheaths, lowest node with (3)5-11 branches;

branches scabrous, capillary, flexible, wide-spreading, branching in the distal 1/4, spikelets strongly clustered at the branch tips, lower branches 5-15 cm;

pedicels 0.1-2.5(3.5) mm.

lanceolate to narrowly ovate, greenish to purplish.

ovate to narrowly ovate, greenish or purplish.

subequal to equal, 1.5-3.5 mm, scabrous on the midvein and sometimes on the back, 1(3)-veined, acute, elongate-acuminate, with an awnlike tip to 1 mm;

callus hairs to 0.3 mm, sparse to abundant;

lemmas 1.2-2.2 mm, smooth, translucent to opaque, 5-veined, veins prominent distally or obscure throughout, apices acute, entire or toothed, teeth no more than 0.12 mm, unawned or awned from above midlength, awns to 3.5 mm, straight or geniculate;

paleas absent or to 0.5 mm;

anthers 3, 0.3-0.6 mm.

subequal, 1-2 mm, 1-veined, keeled, keels scabrous, sometimes the body also scabrous towards the apices, acute to acuminate;

callus hairs to 0.2 mm, sparse;

lemmas 0.8-1.2 mm, scabridulous, translucent to opaque, 5-veined, veins obscure or prominent distally, apices usually obtuse, sometimes acute, entire, unawned;

paleas absent, or to 0.2 mm and thin;

anthers 3, 0.2-0.5 mm.

0.9-1.2 mm;

endosperm solid or soft.

0.7-1 mm.

= 28, 42, 56.

= 28.