Flora of North America species comparison

(5)8-35(55) cm, erect, usually smooth and glabrous, sometimes sparsely scabrous or puberulent near the inflorescence.

(25)40-80(110) cm, glabrous, smooth.

closed for about 1/2 their length, smooth or scabrous, persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.4 mm;

blades (0.3)0.5-1(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous, veins (3)5-7, ribs 3-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3-7(9) narrow strands, usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent;

flag leaf sheaths not inflated, more or less tightly enclosing the culms;

flag leaf blades (0.3)1-2.5(3) cm.

closed for much less than 1/2 their length, glabrous, somewhat persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.4 mm, usually longer at the sides;

blades all alike, 0.3-0.7 mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or scabridulous, veins (3)5, ribs 1-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 narrow strands, about as wide as the adjacent veins;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

1.5-4(5.5) cm, contracted, usually panicles, very rarely racemes, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches usually erect, sometimes spreading at anthesis, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

(5)10-20 cm, open, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches 1-15 cm, lax, widely spreading to reflexed, lower branches usually reflexed at maturity, with 2+ spikelets.

3.5-7(8.5) mm, with 2-4(6) florets.

6-12 mm, with 3-6(7) florets.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate-lanceolate, usually glabrous and smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes (1.2)1.8-3(3.5) mm;

upper glumes (2.4)2.6-4(4.6) mm;

lemmas 2.5-4.5(6) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, scabrous towards the apices, awns (0.8)1-3(3.5) mm, terminal;

paleas about as long as the lemmas, intercostal region scabrous or puberulent distally;

anthers (0.5)0.7-1.1(1.3) mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous and smooth or slightly scabrous;

lower glumes 2-5 mm;

upper glumes 3-6 mm;

lemmas (4)4.5-6.5(8) mm, ovate-lanceolate to attenuate, glabrous or finely puberulent, awns 3-12 mm, usually longer than the lemma bodies;

paleas slightly shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region scabrous or puberulent distally;

anthers (1)1.5-2(3) mm;

ovary apices densely pubescent.

= 28, 42, 44.

= 28 [other numbers have been reported for this species, but are probably based on misidentifications].