Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending, unbranched when small to branched ca. 1–5 times throughout, 10–60 dm, minutely puberulent to glandular-pubescent basally, usually glandular-pubescent, sometimes minutely puberulent or glabrous distally.

erect to decumbent-ascending, sparingly to profusely branched throughout, 2–8(–15) dm, usually minutely puberulent, often also with long, spreading hairs, occasionally also glandular basally, glabrous distally.

mostly in basal 1/2;

larger leaves with petiole 2–22 mm, blade oval, ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, 12–37 × 5–20 mm (distal leaves smaller, proportionately narrower), adaxial surface glabrate, sparsely puberulent, sometimes glandular-pubescent, abaxial surface not noticeably to prominently paler than adaxial, glabrate or occasionally glandular-pubescent, both surfaces usually punctate with dark cells, base round to obtuse, margins sinuate to sinuate-crisped, apex acute, obtuse, or round.

mostly in basal 1/2;

larger leaves with petiole 5–30 mm, blade lanceolate, ovate, oval, deltate-ovate, or narrowly deltate, 10–50 × 6–32 mm (distal leaves usually shorter, proportionately narrower), adaxial surface usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely hirtellous, abaxial surface paler than adaxial, usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely puberulent or with few coarse hairs, usually neither surface punctate, base acute, obtuse, or round, margins sinuate, often crisped, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded.

terminal, branched ca. 1–4 times unequally, without sticky internodal bands;

branches strongly ascending, terminating in compact, capitate or subcapitate flower clusters, axis 0–2.5 mm.

terminal and axillary, forked ca. 2–5 times unevenly, usually with sticky internodal bands;

branches strongly ascending, terminating in spicate or racemose flower clusters, axis 15–60 mm.

pedicel 0.8–2.5 mm;

bracts at base of perianth persistent, 1–3, ovate to obovate, 2.5–4 mm, apex apiculate;

perianth whitish to pale pink, funnelform beyond constriction, 2.5–4 mm;

stamens 3–4(–5), well exserted.

pedicel 0.1–1.6 mm;

bracts at base of perianth soon deciduous, 1–2, usually lanceolate, lance-acuminate, or linear-lanceolate, rarely ovate, 0.4–1 mm;

perianth white to pale pink, campanulate distal to constriction, 0.7–2 mm;

stamens (1–)2–3(–4), included or slightly exserted.

3–9 per cluster, straw colored to grayish tan, broadly obovoid, 2.3–3 × 1.3–1.7 mm (l/w: 1.6–2.1), apex round or broadly obtuse, glabrous;

ribs 5, acute, smooth;

sulci 2–2.5 times as wide as base of ribs, not or shallowly rugose, lightly papillate.

4–20(–22) per cluster, remotely spaced or overlapped by 1–100% of their length, or 2–4 in group, separated by small gap from next group and with distal spikelets overlapping, straw colored to pale red-brown, narrowly obovoid to narrowly obpyramidal, 2–3.2(–3.6) × 0.9–1.1(–1.4) mm (l/w: [1.9–]2.1–3.1[–3.3]), apex rounded to bluntly conic-truncate, or truncate, glabrous;

ribs 5, obtuse or round-obtuse, often with sharp ridges, slightly rugose near sulci;

sulci 0.1–0.3 times as wide as base of ribs, smooth or slightly rugose, not papillate.