Flora of North America species comparison

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

40-90 cm, erect, geniculate.

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.

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.

simple, 10-18 cm, open;

branches divergent;

pedicels 0.4-3 mm, divergent, spikelets solitary.

2.4-3.5 mm, homomorphic, ovate.

2-2.5 mm, elliptical, apiculate.

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 or to 0.2 mm;

upper glumes absent or to 0.6 mm, veinless;

lower lemmas as long as the spikelets, 5-veined, margins and intercostal regions more or less pubescent;

upper lemmas minutely rugose, dark brown.

sheaths densely villous;

upper sheaths with scattered papillose-based hairs;

ligules 1.5-3 mm;

blades 4-7(12) cm long, 3-5 mm wide, villous to nearly glabrous, usually sparsely hairy near the ligules.

= 70, 72.

= 36.