Flora of North America species comparison

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

(10)30-60 cm, erect, unbranched.

mostly basal;

sheaths mostly glabrous, margins often long-ciliate distally;

ligules 0.3-0.6 mm, of hairs;

blades 1-10 cm long, 1-2.5(3) mm wide, flat, glaucous, bases with papillose-based hairs on the margins, similar hairs sometimes present on either or both surfaces.

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.

2.5-6 cm, with 3-8(10) branches;

branches (8)10-15 mm, densely pubescent, with 8-12 spikelets, axes extending to 5 mm beyond the base of the terminal spikelets, apices entire;

disarticulation at the base of the branches.

appressed.

appressed, all alike, 7-7.5 mm, with 1 bisexual and 1 rudimentary floret.

evidently hairy;

lower glumes 2.5-4.5 mm;

upper glumes 4.5-6.5 mm;

lowest lemmas 4.7-6.2 mm, hairy distally, 3-lobed, lobes unawned or shortly awned;

lowest paleas 5-7.2 mm, pubescent along the veins and on the margins, bifid, veins excurrent as short awns;

anthers 2.8-4 mm, yellow;

upper florets rudimentary, glabrous, 3-awned, awns scabrous, sometimes arising from a short but evident awn column, central awns sometimes with a membranous margin, awns scabrous.

2.5-3 mm.

about 2.5 mm long, about 0.9 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.

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, 22, 40.