Flora of North America species comparison

25-85 (100) cm, usually smooth, glabrous, occasionally scabrous below the inflorescences.

(30)40-90(140) cm, scabrous near the inflorescence;

nodes usually not exposed.

closed for less than 1/2 their length, smooth or scabrous, rarely pilose, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.6 mm;

blades (0.3)0.5-0.9(1.5) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or pubescent, rarely pilose, often glaucous or bluish, veins (3)5(7), ribs (1)3-5, well defined;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 wide, irregular strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

closed for less than 1/3 their length, glabrous or scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.8-2 mm in diameter, usually conduplicate, rarely convolute, gray-green, deciduous, abaxial surfaces scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins (8)11-15(17), ribs (6)7-11;

abaxial sclerenchyma usually forming a more or less continuous band;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders at the 5-7 major veins;

pillars at some of the other veins.

(5)7-15(20) cm, loosely contracted or open, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches usually somewhat spreading at maturity, sometimes erect, rarely reflexed, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

(5)9-18(25) cm, open or loosely contracted, with (1)2(3) branches per node;

branches erect to stiffly spreading.

(5.8) 7.5-13.5(19) mm, with (2)4-7(9) florets.

8-13(16) mm, with (3)4-5(7) florets.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, mostly smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 2.4-5(6) mm;

upper glumes 3-6(8) mm;

lemmas 5-8.5(10) mm, scabrous at the apices, awns (1.5)3-6(7) mm, usually more than 1/2 as long as the lemma bodies;

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

anthers 2.4-4.5 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

exceeded by the distal florets;

lower glumes 4.5-7.5(8.5) mm, shorter than or about equaling the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 5.3-8.2(9) mm;

lemmas (6.2)7-8.5(10) mm, chartaceous to somewhat coriaceous, scabrous, backs rounded below the middle, veins more or less obscure, apices mucronate or shortly awned, awns to 1.5 mm;

paleas somewhat shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (3.3) 4.5-6 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= 28.

= 56.