Flora of North America species comparison

10-150 cm, herbaceous, glabrous, branching both at and above the base.

open;

ligules membranous, ciliate.

terminal, panicles of (1)2-20 non-disarticulating, spikelike branches, exceeding the upper leaves;

branches 1-17 cm, all or most in a digitate cluster, sometimes 1(2) branch(es) attached immediately below the terminal whorl, axes flattened, terminating in a functional spikelet.

3.5-11 mm, laterally compressed, with 2-15 bisexual florets;

disarticulation above the glumes and between the florets (E. coracana not disarticulating).

unequal, shorter than the lower lemmas;

lower glumes 1-3-veined;

upper glumes 3-5(7)-veined;

lemmas 3-veined, glabrous, keeled, apices entire, neither mucronate nor awned;

paleas sometimes with winged keels;

anthers 3, 0.5-1 mm;

ovaries glabrous.

modified caryopses, pericarp thin, separating from the seed at an early stage in its development;

seeds usually obtusely trigonous, the surfaces ornamented, x = 8, 9, 10.