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.

5-30 cm, erect, sometimes geniculate at the base, with 2-5(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 basal, forming dense tufts;

sheaths smooth;

ligules (0.7)1-2.8 mm, dorsal surfaces usually scabridulous, sometimes smooth, apices rounded to truncate, lacerate to erose;

blades 3-7 cm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, flat, becoming folded or involute.

(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.

(1)2.5-6 cm long, 0.3-1.2(2) cm wide, cylindric to lanceolate, usually dense, exserted from the upper sheaths at maturity, lowest node with 1-5 branches;

branches usually scabridulous, sometimes smooth, ascending to erect, branching at or near the base and spikelet-bearing to the base, to branching in the distal 2/3, lower branches 0.5-1.5 cm;

pedicels 0.4-2.8(4.3) mm.

lanceolate, green and slightly to strongly suffused with purple.

ovate to lanceolate, greenish 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 to equal, 1.8-2.5 mm, smooth, or scabrous on the keel and sometimes elsewhere, 1-veined, acute to acuminate;

callus hairs to 0.2 mm, sparse to abundant;

lemmas 1.5-2 mm, smooth, translucent, (3)5-veined, veins usually prominent distally, sometimes obscure throughout, apices acute, entire, usually unawned, rarely awned, awns to 1(2.8) mm, arising beyond the midpoint, usually not reaching the lemma apices;

paleas to 0.2 mm, thin;

anthers 3, 0.4-0.7(1) mm.

0.9-1.3 mm;

endosperm solid.

1-1.3 mm;

endosperm soft.

= 28, 35,42.

= 28.