Flora of North America species comparison

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

40-125 cm, glabrous.

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

collars glabrous or pubescent;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 2-6(8) mm wide, flat or loosely convolute, abaxial surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent, adaxial surfaces pubescent, veins 13-29, ribs obscure to prominent;

abaxial sclerenchyma in strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

pillars or girders present at the major veins.

(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.

7-20 cm, open, with 1(2) branches per node;

branches lax, spreading.

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

8-12.5 mm, with (2)3-5 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.

glabrous, lanceolate to subulate;

lower glumes (2)2.5-4 mm;

upper glumes 3.5-5.5(6) mm;

calluses much longer than wide, pubescent at least basally;

lemmas 6-9 mm, lanceolate, puberulent, particularly towards the bases, sometimes slightly scabrous, particularly towards the apices, apices minutely bidentate, awned, awns 10-15 mm, slightly subterminal, flexuous, or kinked;

paleas about as long as the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (2)2.5-4 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= 14, 28.

= 28.