Flora of North America species comparison

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

60-100 (150) cm, erect, glabrous;

nodes usually 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, shredding into fibers;

ligules 0.3-1.5 mm;

blades 3-6(10) mm wide, flat, lax, margins scabrous, abaxial and adaxial surfaces glabrous, adaxial surfaces sometimes scabrous, veins 13-25, ribs obscure;

abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders or pillars formed at the major 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.

10-20(40) cm, open or somewhat contracted, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches lax, more or less spreading, spikelets borne towards the ends of the branches.

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

7-12 mm, with (2)3-5 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.

lanceolate, scabrous at least on the midvein, acute to acuminate;

lower glumes (1.5) 2.5-4(4.5) mm;

upper glumes (3)4-6.5 mm;

calluses wider than long, glabrous, smooth or slightly scabrous;

lemmas (5)6-8(9) mm, lanceolate, scabrous or puberulent, acuminate, unawned or awned, awns to 2 mm;

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

anthers 1.6-2.5 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= 28.

= unknown.