Flora of North America species comparison

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

(15)22-35(50) cm, erect, 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, pubescent or glabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.4 mm;

blades 0.6-1 mm in diameter, conduplicate, veins 5-7, ribs 1-3(5), indistinct;

abaxial sclerenchyma forming continuous or interrupted bands;

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.

2.5-9(11) cm, compact, erect, with 1-2 branches per node;

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

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

5.5-9(11) mm, with 3-6(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 upper florets, ovate-lanceolate to ovate, glabrous or pubescent distally;

lower glumes (1.8)2-3(4) mm;

upper glumes 2.8-4(5.1) mm;

lemmas (3.5)4-6(6.2) mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, smooth or scabrous near the apices, sometimes pubescent distally, awns (0.6)1-1.5(2) mm, terminal;

paleas about equal to the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (1.8)2-3 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28.

= 42 [in European literature for the horticultural forms].