Flora of North America species comparison

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

(15)20-75 (80) cm, smooth, glabrous or with sparse hairs.

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, usually glabrous, rarely pubescent, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades (0.5)0.8-1.2 mm in diameter, usually conduplicate, rarely flat, abaxial surfaces glabrous, puberulent, or scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent to pubescent, veins 5-7(9), ribs 3-7, usually distinct;

abaxial sclerenchyma usually in an irregular, interrupted or continuous band, rarely in 5-7 small strands, usually more 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.

(2.5)3-13(16) cm, contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect or stiffly spreading, secondary branches not divaricate, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

5-9(10.8) mm, with 3-7(8) 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 lanceolate, mostly smooth and glabrous, sometimes scabrous and/or pubescent distally;

lower glumes (1.8)2-3.5(4) mm;

upper glumes 3-5(5.5) mm;

lemmas 3.8-5(6.5) mm, lanceolate, usually smooth and glabrous on the lower portion and scabrous or pubescent distally, especially on the margins, rarely entirely pubescent, awns 0.5-2.5(3) mm, usually less than 1/2 as long as the lemma body;

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

anthers (1.8)2.3-3.4 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28.

= 42.