Flora of North America species comparison

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

18-40(60) cm, mostly 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 less than 1/3 their length, smooth or scabrous, glabrous or finely puberulent, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.4 mm;

blades 0.2-0.4(0.6) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth, adaxial surfaces scabrous, veins 5(7), ribs 1, distinct;

abaxial sclerenchyma forming a continuous or almost continuous band;

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.

1-6(14) cm, usually contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches usually erect, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

3-6(6.5) mm, with 2-6(8) 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, glabrous;

lower glumes 1-2.5 mm;

upper glumes (1.7)2-3(3.9) mm;

lemmas 2.3-4(4.4) mm, obtuse to acute, mostly smooth and glabrous, sometimes scabrous or pubescent distally, unawned, sometimes mucronate, mucros to 0.4 mm;

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

anthers (1)1.5-2.2 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28, 42, 44.

= 14 (28).