Flora of North America species comparison

(3)10-50(80) cm, often highly branched above the base.

20-65 cm tall, 1-4 mm thick at the base, erect, rarely geniculate at the base, unbranched;

internodes often in a sequence of 2 short and 1 long.

cauline, glabrous;

sheaths shorter than the internodes, not disintegrating into threadlike fibers;

ligules 0.4-1 mm;

blades 2-14 cm long, 1-2.5 mm wide, flat to involute.

mostly basal;

sheaths usually shorter than the internodes, glabrous, remaining intact at maturity;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.3 mm;

blades (3)5-15 cm long, to 1 mm wide, involute, rarely loosely folded or flat, somewhat stiff and arcuate, bases glabrous abaxially, pale green.

panicles, 5-15(20) cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide, often interrupted below;

nodes glabrous or with straight, less than 0.5 mm hairs;

primary branches 1-4 cm, erect to ascending, without axillary pulvini, with 3-8 spikelets.

paniculate or racemose, 10-30 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, slender, lax;

primary branches 3-5 cm, loosely appressed, without axillary pulvini, with 2-5 spikelets.

crowded.

appressed.

unequal, 1-veined, acuminate;

lower glumes 4-8 mm;

upper glumes 6-11 mm;

calluses 0.5-0.8 mm;

lemmas 6-9 mm, slightly keeled, midveins scabrous, junction with the awns not evident;

awns not disarticulating at maturity, flattened and straight to somewhat curved at the base, central rib flanked by equally wide pale wings;

central awns 7-15(20) mm;

lateral awns somewhat shorter, occasionally only 1-2 mm;

anthers 3, 0.3-0.7 mm.

usually unequal, 1-veined, acuminate or awned, awns to 4 mm, tan to dark brownish or purplish;

Lower glumes 6-9(11) mm;

upper glumes 9-12 mm;

calluses 1-2 mm;

lemmas 5-7 mm, glabrous, brownish, without a column, the junction with the awns not evident;

awns 8-15 mm, subequal, loosely spirally contorted, but not coiled, just above the base, ascending to spreading distally, not disarticulating at maturity;

anthers 3, 1-1.5 mm, brownish.

3-4 mm, somewhat lustrous, chestnut-colored.

= 22.

= unknown.