Flora of North America species comparison

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

2.5-10 (14) cm, up to twice as tall as the vegetative shoot leaves, usually geniculate to prostrate, erect at anthesis, glabrous, smooth.

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, smooth or slightly scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades (0.5)0.8-1.1 mm in diameter, conduplicate, usually straight, veins 5-7, ribs 3-5, abaxial surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7(9) narrow strands, usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

(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.

1.5-3.5 cm, often racemes, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect, lower branches with 1-2(3+) spikelets.

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

4.5-8.5 mm, with (2)3-6 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 to ovate-lanceolate, mostly glabrous and smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1.8-3.5 mm;

upper glumes 2.9—4.3 mm;

lemmas 3.6-5.2 mm, scabrous distally, apices entire, awns 1.1-2.9 mm, usually terminal, sometimes slightly subterminal;

paleas about as long as or slightly longer than the lemmas, intercostal region scabrous distally;

anthers 0.6-1.1 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

leaf sheaths somewhat inflated;

flag leaf blades (0.3)0.5-2 cm.

= 14, 28.

= 28.