Flora of North America species comparison

(8)15-60 cm, erect from a geniculate base, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, with (2)4-7 nodes.

20-120 cm, erect, sometimes geniculate at the base, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, with 4-7 nodes.

mostly cauline;

sheaths smooth;

ligules longer than wide, dorsal surfaces usually scabrous, rarely smooth, apices usually rounded, acute to truncate, erose to lacerate, basal ligules 0.7-4 mm, upper ligules 3-7.5 mm;

blades 2-10 cm long, 2-6 mm wide, flat.

mostly cauline, sheaths smooth or sparsely scabridulous;

ligules longer than wide, dorsal surfaces usually scabrous, sometimes smooth, apices rounded to truncate, erose to lacerate, basal ligules 1-4.5 mm, upper ligules 2-7 mm;

blades 4-10 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, flat.

(3)4-20 cm long, less than 1/2 the length of the culm, 0.5-3(6) cm wide, narrowly contracted, dense, oblong to lanceolate, exserted from the sheaths at maturity, lowest node with 1-7 branches;

branches scabrous, ascending to appressed, except briefly spreading during anthesis, usually some branches at each node spikelet-bearing to the base, lower branches 2-6 cm;

pedicels 0.3-3.3 mm.

8-25(30) cm long, less than 1/2 the length of the culm, (1.5)3-15 cm wide, erect, open, broadly ovate, exserted from the upper sheaths at maturity, lowest node with (1)3-8 branches;

branches scabrous, spreading during and after anthesis, usually some branches spikelet-bearing to the base, lower branches 4-9 cm, usually with many shorter secondary branches resulting in crowding of the spikelets, spikelets restricted to the distal 1/2 of the branches and not crowded in shade plants;

pedicels 0.3-3.4(4.2) mm.

lanceolate, green and slightly to strongly suffused with purple.

narrowly ovate to lanceolate, green and slightly to strongly suffused with purple.

subequal to unequal, 1.6-3 mm, lanceolate, 1-veined, sometimes scabridulous distally, at least on the midvein, acute to acuminate or apiculate;

callus hairs to 0.5 mm, sparse;

lemmas 1.4-2 mm, opaque to translucent, smooth, 5-veined, veins obscure or prominent distally, apices acute to obtuse, entire or the veins excurrent to about 0.1 mm, usually unawned, rarely with a subapical straight awn to about 1 mm;

paleas 0.7-1.4 mm, veins visible;

anthers 3, 0.9-1.4 mm.

subequal, 1.7-3.2 mm, lanceolate, 1-veined, acute to apiculate;

lower glumes scabrous on the distal 1/2 of the midvein;

upper glumes scabridulous on the distal 1/2 of the midvein;

callus hairs to 0.5 mm, sparse;

lemmas 1.5-2.2 mm, opaque to translucent, smooth, 3-5-veined, veins usually obscure, sometimes prominent throughout or distally, often excurrent to 0.2 mm, apices usually acute, sometimes obtuse or truncate, usually unawned, rarely with a 0.4-1.5(3) mm straight awn arising from near the apices to near the base;

paleas 0.7-1.4 mm, about Vi the length of the lemmas, veins visible;

anthers 3, 1-1.4 mm.

0.9-1.3 mm;

endosperm solid.

1-1.5 mm;

endosperm solid.

= 28, 35,42.

= 42.