Flora of North America species comparison

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

(15)20-40(45) cm, glabrous, smooth.

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 about 1/2 their length, glabrous, shredding into fibers, sometimes slowly;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5(1) mm;

blades to 3 mm wide when flat, 0.5-1 (1.5) mm in diameter when conduplicate, veins (3)5, ribs (1)3(5), abaxial surfaces smooth or slightly scabrous, adaxial surfaces sparsely scabrous;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3-5 narrow strands less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

(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.

3-5(8) cm, contracted, with 1-3 branches per node;

branches stiff, erect, scabrous, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

(4.5)5-6.5(7) mm, with 2-5 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 upper florets, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, mostly smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1.5-3 mm;

upper glumes 2.5-3.8 mm;

lemmas 3-4.5 mm, glabrous or puberulent near the apices, awns (0.3)1-1.5 mm, terminal;

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

anthers 0.6-0.9(1.4) mm;

ovary apices densely and conspicuously pubescent.

= 28.

= unknown.