Flora of North America species comparison

to 120 cm tall, bases long-decumbent and rooting at the lower nodes.

30-80 cm, sometimes erect, usually decumbent and branching and rooting at the lower nodes, not branching at the upper nodes.

with papillose-based hairs;

ligules 2.5-3.5 mm;

blades 4-28 cm long, 4-12 mm wide, scabrous, usually with some scattered papillose-based hairs on the base of the adaxial surfaces, sometimes with hairs all over.

of the lower leaves villous, those of the upper leaves sometimes glabrous, those of the flag leaves without axillary panicles;

ligules 1.5-2 mm;

blades 10-15 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, hirsute to nearly glabrous.

with 3-11 spikelike primary branches in 1-several whorls, rachises to 6 cm;

primary branches 5-15 cm, axes wing-margined, wings more than 1/2 as wide as the midribs, lower and middle portions bearing spikelets in unequally pedicellate pairs;

secondary branches absent;

shorter pedicels 0.3-0.8 mm;

longer pedicels 1.7-2.7 mm.

with 5-10 spikelike primary branches on 1-4 cm rachises;

primary branches 5-10(13) cm, axes triquetrous, narrowly winged, wings less than 1/2 as wide as the midribs, lower and middle portions of the branches bearing paired spikelets;

secondary branches rarely present.

2.4-3.5 mm, homomorphic, ovate.

2-3.6 mm, narrowly ovate-oblong, acute.

absent or to 0.1 mm;

upper glumes 0.2-1.3 mm, 1/6 - 1/3 as long as the spikelets, 1-3-veined, margins and apices with appressed, white hairs about 0.5 mm, truncate or bilobed;

lower lemmas (5)7-veined, veins smooth or scabrous only over the distal 1/3, unequally spaced, margins and lateral intercostal regions silky-ciliate;

upper lemmas tan or gray when immature, brown at maturity, acuminate;

anthers 0.6-1.3 mm.

absent;

upper glumes almost as long as the spikelets, 3(5)-veined, shortly villous on the margins and sometimes between the margins;

lower lemmas similar to the upper glumes;

upper lemmas gray or yellow, sometimes purple-tinged, becoming purple at maturity.

narrowly oblong.

= 70, 72.

= 54.