Flora of North America species comparison

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

(5)8-50(60) cm, usually smooth and glabrous, occasionally sparsely scabrous or puberulent below the inflorescence.

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 about 1/2 their length, glabrous, smooth or scabrous, usually persistent, rarely slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.5-1.2 mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces glabrous or sparsely puberulent, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins 5-7(9), ribs 1-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3-7 strands, sometimes partly confluent or forming a continuous band, usually more than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent;

flag leaf blades 0.5-4 cm.

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.

(2)3-10(13) cm, contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

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

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

(3)4.5-8.8(10) mm, with (2)3-5(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-lanceolate to lanceolate, scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1.5-3.5 mm;

upper glumes 2.5-4.8 mm;

lemmas (3)3.4-4(5.6) mm, mostly smooth, often scabrous distally, awns (0.4) 1-2(2.5) mm;

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

anthers (0.8)1.2-1.7(2) mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28, 42, 44.

= 42.