Flora of North America species comparison

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

(40) 50-100(150) cm, glabrous, erect or decumbent at the base.

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 less than 1/3 their length, glabrous or sparsely pilose, shredding into fibers;

ligules (0.2)0.5-1(2) mm;

blades (3)5-10 mm wide, flat or loosely convolute, glabrous or sparsely pilose, smooth or scabrous, veins (11)15-39, ribs obscure;

abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders or pillars usually associated with the major veins.

(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.

13-25 cm, open, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches lax, usually reflexed, sometimes spreading, spikelets borne towards the ends of the branches, not or only slightly imbricate.

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

4-5(7) mm, elliptic to ovate, with 2-4(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.

ovate-lanceolate, scabrous on the veins and distal margins;

lower glumes 2.5-3.5 mm, usually distinctly shorter than the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 3-4(4.7) mm;

lemmas 3-4.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate, stiffly chartaceous, glabrous, obtuse or somewhat acute, unawned;

paleas as long as or slightly shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region smooth or scabridulous distally;

anthers (0.8)1-1.7(2.2) mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

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

= 42.