Flora of North America species comparison

to 300 cm, erect.

to 100 cm, erect.

glabrous or scabrous, often ciliate apically;

ligules ciliate;

blades to 30 cm long, 15 mm wide, scabrous.

glabrous;

ligules about 0.5 mm, membranous, erose;

blades to 25 cm long, 1-6 mm wide, flat or involute, sometimes appearing filiform, bases with hairs to 7 mm.

digitate, with 9-30 evidently distinct branches;

branches 8-20 cm, usually somewhat divaricate, spikelet-bearing to the base, averaging 10 spikelets per cm.

digitate, with 2-9 evidently separate branches;

branches 3-14 cm, erect to curving, averaging 11 spikelets per cm.

strongly imbricate, tawny, with 1 bisexual and (1)2-4 usually staminate, sometimes sterile florets.

strongly imbricate, light to medium brown, with 2(3) sterile florets.

1.4-2.8 mm;

upper glumes 2.2-3.5 mm;

lowest lemmas 2.5-4.2 mm long, 0.7-1 mm wide, ovate to obovate or elliptic, somewhat gibbous, sides not grooved, pubescence variable, sides usually glabrous, sometimes scabrous or appressed pubescent, margins usually glabrous or appressed pubescent on the lower portions, sometimes throughout their length, sometimes with strongly divergent hairs distally, occasionally with strongly divergent hairs their entire length, divergent hairs, when present, 1+ mm, lemma apices inconspicuously bilobed, awned, awns 1.5-6.5 mm;

second florets staminate or sterile, 2.2-3.2 mm long, 0.3-1 mm wide, similar to the first floret but more cylindrical, not widened distally, inflated, if at all, only near the apices, inconspicuously bilobed, awned, awns 0.8-3.2 mm;

distal florets progressively smaller, longer than the subtending rachilla segment, awn-tipped or unawned.

1.6-2.4 mm;

upper glumes 2.3-3.8 mm;

lowest lemmas 2.7-4.2 mm long, 0.6-1.1 mm wide, marginal veins and keels densely and conspicuously hairy, hairs 1.5-3 mm, awns 2.4-5.5 mm;

second florets 1.1-1.8 mm, about 1/2 as wide as long, conspicuously widened distally, laterally compressed, glabrous, truncate, awned, awns 1.5-3.5 mm;

distal sterile floret(s) similar but smaller, longer than the subtending rachilla segments, unawned.

1-1.5 mm long, about 0.5 mm wide.

1.3-2 mm long, 0.8-0.9 mm wide, ovoid-ellipsoid.

= 20, 30, 40.