Flora of North America species comparison

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

5-25(30) cm, densely pubescent or shortly pilose near 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, glabrous, persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.3 mm;

blades (0.4)0.6-1(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins (3)5-7, ribs 3-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3-7 small strands, usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

(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.

1.5-4(5) cm, contracted, usually panicles, rarely racemes, usually somewhat secund, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

(4.5)5-7.5(8.5) mm, with (2)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-lanceolate, scabrous distally;

lower glumes 2.2-3.7(4) mm;

upper glumes 3-5 mm;

lemmas (3.5)4-6 mm, scabridulous near the apices, awns 0.8-2.6(3.3) mm, terminal;

paleas slightly shorter than to as long as the lemmas, intercostal region scabrous distally;

anthers 0.3-0.7 (1.1) mm;

ovary apices usually with a few hairs, rarely glabrous.

leaf sheaths usually somewhat loosely enclosing the culms;

flag leaf blades 0.5-4 cm.

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

= 28.