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.

4-20 cm.

smooth, upper sheaths inflated;

ligules (0.6)1-1.5 mm, dorsal surfaces scabrous, apices truncate to rounded, lacerate to erose-ciliolate;

blades 1-2.5 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, flat or folded.

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.

(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.

1.5-6 cm long, 0.4-2 cm wide, initially lanceolate, becoming ovate and diffuse, bases sometimes enclosed in the upper sheaths;

branches 1-3 cm, erect to spreading, scabrous;

pedicels 0.5-6.3 mm.

lanceolate to narrowly ovate, greenish to purplish.

ovate, green, slightly to strongly tinged with purple.

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.

equal, 2-2.5 mm, 1-veined, acuminate;

lower glumes scabrous on the midvein;

upper glumes smooth or scabrous on the midvein;

callus hairs to 0.1 mm, sparse;

lemmas 1.3-1.7 mm, scabrous, translucent to opaque, 5-veined, veins mostly obscure, apices truncate, entire, erose, or the veins excurrent to about 0.12 mm, unawned;

paleas to 0.2 mm, thin;

anthers 3, 0.5-0.9 mm, often retained at the apices of the caryopses.

0.9-1.2 mm;

endosperm solid or soft.

1.2-1.5 mm;

endosperm semisoft.

= 28, 42, 56.

= unknown.