Flora of North America species comparison

50-120 cm, glabrous.

5-25(30) cm, densely pubescent or shortly pilose near the inflorescence.

closed for less than 1/3 their length, glabrous, shredding into fibers;

Iigules (0.2)0.5-1.5 mm;

blades 2-8 mm wide, flat or loosely convolute, smooth or scabrous, veins 9-35, ribs obscure;

abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders or pillars usually associated with the major veins.

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 lax, ascending to spreading, spikelets clustered towards the ends of the branches, closely imbricate.

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.

4-7(7.5) mm, elliptic to obovate, with 3-5(8) florets.

(4.5)5-7.5(8.5) mm, with (2)3-5(6) florets.

lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, scabrous at least on the veins;

lower glumes (2.5)3-4(5) mm, usually almost as long as the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes (3.5)4-5(5.5) mm;

lemmas 4-5(5.2) mm, stiffly chartaceous, ovate to obovate, glabrous, somewhat acute, unawned;

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

anthers (0.7)1-2(2.5) mm;

ovary apices 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.

= unknown.

= 28.