Flora of North America species comparison

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

40-100 cm tall, 1-4 mm thick at the base, erect, branching at the base, shoots becoming thickened and somewhat fan-shaped upwards.

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.

cauline;

sheaths mostly longer than the internode, mostly or completely glabrous, sometimes pilose, particularly along the margins and at the throat, remaining intact at maturity;

collars glabrous or pilose;

ligules about 0.2 mm;

blades 10-25 cm long, 1-3 mm wide, usually flat, usually lax, sometimes sinuous to curling at maturity, glabrous, pale green, drying brownish.

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, (15)20-55 cm long, 0.5-2(3) cm wide, often nodding;

nodes glabrous, sometimes scabrous, lower nodes usually associated with more than 2 spikelets;

primary branches 1-5 cm, tightly appressed to loosely ascending, without axillary pulvini, with 1-8 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.

5-10 mm, lower glumes from 3/4 as long as to 1-4 mm longer than the upper glumes, glabrous or sparsely appressed-pubescent, 1-2-veined, 1-keeled, tan to purplish, unawned or the awns no longer than 1 mm;

calluses 0.4-0.8 mm;

lemmas 4-8 mm, glabrous, mostly light tan or gray, often spotted or banded, beak not twisted, junction with the awns not evident;

awns 8-25 mm, equal or subequal in length, curved, arcuate, or spirally coiled at the base, not disarticulating at maturity;

central awns sometimes thicker than the lateral awns, erect to arcuate-reflexed;

lateral awns straight and erect, ascending, or divergent;

anthers 1 or 3, 1-1.5 mm, brown.

3-5 mm, chestnut brown.

= 22.

= unknown.