Flora of North America species comparison

4-60 cm, outer culms of a tuft decumbent, sometimes geniculate, branched at the lower nodes.

20-40 cm, erect, somewhat woody at the base, branching at the base and, in late fall, sometimes at the aerial nodes;

nodes usually 4-5;

internodes glabrous, distal portions of the lower internodes with a thick, white, chalky bloom.

2.5-10.5 cm, with (1)4-15 branches;

branches 5-45 mm, deciduous, densely pubescent (at least basally), with 2-10 spikelets per branch, axes extending 2-10 mm beyond the base of the terminal spikelets, apices entire;

disarticulation at the base of the branches, the break forming a sharp tip.

2-A cm, with 1-3(4) branches;

branches 15-37 mm, persistent, straight to slightly arcuate, mostly appressed, stramineous, with 30-45 spikelets, branches terminating in a reduced, needlelike, 2-5 mm spikelet;

disarticulation above the glumes.

appressed.

pectinate, with 1 bisexual floret and 1-2 rudimentary florets.

acute to acuminate, glabrous or sparsely short-hairy, hairs not papillose-based;

lower glumes 2-2.5 mm;

upper glumes 2-3.5 mm;

lowest lemmas 2.5-4 mm, sparsely to densely hairy, 3-awned, awns slightly shorter than the lemma bodies, central awns flanked by 2 membranous lobes;

lowest paleas about 4.5 mm, mostly or completely glabrous, sometimes puberulent distally, acute to acuminate, unawned, veins not excurrent;

second florets about 4.5 mm, 3-awned, awns 3-5 mm;

rachilla segments subtending second florets with densely pubescent apices;

third florets, if present, flabellate scales, 1-awned.

2.5-3 mm.

1-1.2 mm long, about 0.4 mm wide.

0.2-0.5 mm, membranous, lacerate or ciliate;

blades 2-5(9) cm long, 0.7-2 mm wide, flat or folded, adaxial surfaces sometimes with papillose-based hairs, margins usually with papillose-based hairs near the ligules.

0.1-0.2 mm, of hairs;

blades 1-4(7) cm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, flat basally, involute and arcuate to reflexed distally.

spikelet on each branch with 1 floret;

lower glumes 1.5-3.5 mm, glabrous, narrow to subulate;

upper glumes 5.5-6.2 mm, densely pubescent, at least on the basal 1/2;

lemmas 5.8-6 mm, acuminate, unawned;

lowest paleas almost as long as the lemmas, bifid, glabrous;

rachillas prolonged beyond the florets for about 0.5 mm.

spikelets with 1 bisexual and 1 rudimentary floret, glumes unequal, glabrous, minutely scabrous on the keels; narrowly acute or acuminate;

lower glumes 1.5-2 mm;

upper glumes 5-6 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent basally, often divergent;

lowest lemmas 6-8 mm, veins pubescent, lateral veins excurrent as short (to 1 mm) awns, acuminate, midvein extended into a setaceous tip or a short awn;

lowest paleas 5-7 mm, bifid, veins often excurrent as short awns;

anthers about 2.5 mm, yellow or yellow and red;

distal florets reduced to a pubescent, 3-awned, awn column, awns 2-7 mm, exserted.

= 40.

= 20.