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danthonie comprimée, flattened oatgrass

Culms

40-80 cm, disarticulating at the nodes when mature.

Sheaths

glabrous, rarely sparsely pilose, usually reddish above the nodes;

blades to 30 cm long, 2-4 mm wide, flexible but not curled at maturity, glabrous, sometimes scabrous, uppermost cauline blades erect to ascending.

Inflorescences

with (4)6-17 spikelets;

branches usually flexible, usually divergent, sometimes strongly so, after anthesis;

lower branches with 2-3 spikelets;

pedicels on the lowest branch as long as or longer than the spikelets.

Spikelets

(7)10-16 mm.

Caryopses

1.7-2.6 mm long, 0.7-1.1 mm wide.

Calluses

of middle florets about as long as wide, convex abaxially;

lemma bodies 2.5-5 mm, pilose over the back, sometimes sparsely so, margins pilose to beyond midlength, distal hairs 0.5-2 mm, apical teeth 2-4 mm, aristate, (1/2)2/3 or more as long as the lemma bodies;

awns 6-10 mm;

anthers to 2.2 mm.

2n

= 36.

Danthonia compressa

Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; GA; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON; PE; QC
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Discussion

Danthonia compressa grows in open and semi-shaded areas, including meadows, open woods, and woodland openings. Although not a true pioneer species, it may sometimes occur as a weed in perennial crops. It is restricted to eastern North America.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 25, p. 303.
Parent taxa Poaceae > subfam. Danthonioideae > tribe Danthonieae > Danthonia
Sibling taxa
D. californica, D. decumbens, D. intermedia, D. parryi, D. sericea, D. spicata, D. unispicata
Synonyms D. alleni
Name authority Austin
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