Flora of North America species comparison

(25)40-80(110) cm, glabrous, smooth.

8-25(40) cm, erect, smooth, glabrous or pubescent below the inflorescence.

closed for much less than 1/2 their length, glabrous, somewhat persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.4 mm, usually longer at the sides;

blades all alike, 0.3-0.7 mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or scabridulous, veins (3)5, ribs 1-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 narrow strands, about as wide as the adjacent veins;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

closed for about 1/2 their length, smooth or scabrous, glabrous or puberulent, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.4-0.8(1) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces glabrous, pubescent, or pilose, all conditions often present on the same plant, scabrous at the apices, adaxial surfaces scabrous or pubescent on the ribs, veins 5-7, ribs 3-5, 1 distinct and 2-4 indistinct;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3 strands, 2 marginal and 1 opposite the midvein, rarely with 2 additional strands, the strands narrower than the veins and usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma strands absent;

flag leaf blades 0.5-2 cm.

(5)10-20 cm, open, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches 1-15 cm, lax, widely spreading to reflexed, lower branches usually reflexed at maturity, with 2+ spikelets.

2-3.5 cm, racemes or panicles, contracted, with 1(2) branches per node;

branches erect, lower branches usually with 1-2 spikelets.

6-12 mm, with 3-6(7) florets.

5-6.5(8) mm, with 3-5(6) florets.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous and smooth or slightly scabrous;

lower glumes 2-5 mm;

upper glumes 3-6 mm;

lemmas (4)4.5-6.5(8) mm, ovate-lanceolate to attenuate, glabrous or finely puberulent, awns 3-12 mm, usually longer than the lemma bodies;

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

anthers (1)1.5-2(3) mm;

ovary apices densely pubescent.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate to lanceolate, glabrous, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes about 3 mm;

upper glumes about 4 mm;

lemmas 4-5 mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, sometimes scabrous towards the apices, apices acute, awns 0.8-2(2.5) mm, terminal;

paleas about as long as the lemmas, intercostal region smooth or scabrous distally;

anthers 2-3.5 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28 [other numbers have been reported for this species, but are probably based on misidentifications].

= 14.