Flora of North America species comparison

30-80 cm, loosely branched below;

internodes hollow.

cauline, mostly glabrous;

sheaths shorter than the internodes, remaining intact at maturity;

ligules about 0.1 mm;

blades 5-15 cm long, 0.8-1.5 mm wide, usually flat, those of the innovations often sparsely pilose.

narrowly racemose, 10-30 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, often nodding;

nodes glabrous;

lower pedicels appressed.

usually 2(1-3) per node, 1 sessile or short-pedicellate and 1 long-pedicellate.

6-9 mm, subequal, tan to purplish, 1-2-veined, acute to awn-tipped, awns 0.5-1.5 mm;

lower glumes frequently 2-keeled;

calluses 0.4-0.6 mm;

lemmas 5-6 mm, light tan to lead-colored, column not twisted, junction with the awns not conspicuous;

awns not disarticulating at maturity;

central awns 10-15 mm, about twice as thick as the lateral awns, reflexed from a semicircular bend;

lateral awns equal to or slightly shorter than the central awns, divaricate and slightly contorted at the base;

anthers 3, 2-3 mm, tan to brown.

4-5 mm, chestnut-colored.

= unknown.