Flora of North America species comparison

(10)30-50(70) cm, glabrous, smooth.

(3)10-15 (18) cm, more than twice as tall as the vegetative shoot leaves, erect, glabrous, sometimes slightly scabrous below the inflorescences.

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

collars glabrous;

ligules shorter than 0.3 mm;

blades 0.3-0.7(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous, veins 5-7(9), ribs 1-3, indistinct;

abaxial sclerenchyma usually a continuous band;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

closed for about 1/2 their length, glabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.3-0.5 mm;

blades (0.3)0.4-0.8(1) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces glabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or pubescent, veins 5-7(9), ribs (3)5(7);

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 strands, usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent;

flag leaf sheaths often somewhat inflated;

flag leaf blades 0.2-1 cm.

(2)5-10(12) cm, contracted, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches usually erect, sometimes spreading at anthesis, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

(0.7)1-5 cm, usually racemes;

branches erect, lower branches with 1(2) spikelets.

4-6(7.3) mm, with 3-6(8) florets.

(4)5-7(8) mm, with 2-4(5) florets.

exceeded by the upper florets, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, mostly smooth and glabrous, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1-2(3) mm;

upper glumes (2.2)2.6-4(4.6) mm;

lemmas (2.6)3-4(5) mm, ovate-lanceolate, mostly smooth, sometimes scabrous or hispid near the apices, awns 0.5-2 mm, terminal, sometimes absent;

paleas about equal to the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (1.4)2-2.6 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate;

lower glumes (1.2)2.5-3.2 mm;

upper glumes (2.4)3.2-4.8 mm;

lemmas (3)4-5.5(7) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, glabrous, scabrous distally, awns (0.2)0.5-2.5 mm, terminal;

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

anthers (0.6)0.9-1.2 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 14, 28.

= 14.