Flora of North America species comparison

60-120 cm, stiffly erect, unbranched.

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.

basal or nearly basal;

sheaths shorter than the internodes, smooth and mostly glabrous abaxially, sometimes with a line of widely spaced, 0.5-1 mm hairs over the midvein, not disintegrating into threadlike fibers at maturity;

collars glabrous, sometimes with a few conspicuous hairs at the sides;

ligules 0.1-0.3 mm;

blades 15-50 cm long, 0.3-1 mm wide, tightly involute, stiff, yellow-green, abaxial surfaces villous on both sides of the midvein, at least on the basal portion, hairs 0.6-1.5 mm, adaxial surfaces densely scabrous or densely short pubescent.

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.

paniculate, 20-35 cm, 5-8 mm wide;

nodes glabrous;

primary branches 2-5 cm, appressed, without axillary pulvini, with 4-12 spikelets, spikelet-bearing to the base.

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.

appressed.

appressed.

subequal, glabrous, light brown or tan, usually 1(2)-veined, bifid and awned, awns 1.5-2.5 mm;

lower glumes 7-10 mm;

upper glumes 6-9 mm;

calluses 0.4-0.6 mm;

lemmas 6-9 mm, glabrous, light-colored when young, reddish when mature, column 1-2 mm, not twisted, junction with the awns inconspicuous;

awns (7)10-15(22) mm, subequal, usually horizontally spreading or curving downward, not disarticulating at maturity;

anthers 3, about 3 mm, reddish-brown.

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.

4-5 mm, chestnut brown.

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

= unknown.

= unknown.