Flora of North America species comparison

50-120 cm, glabrous.

(30)40-90(140) cm, scabrous near the inflorescence;

nodes usually not exposed.

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 less than 1/3 their length, glabrous or scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.8-2 mm in diameter, usually conduplicate, rarely convolute, gray-green, deciduous, abaxial surfaces scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins (8)11-15(17), ribs (6)7-11;

abaxial sclerenchyma usually forming a more or less continuous band;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders at the 5-7 major veins;

pillars at some of the other veins.

(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.

(5)9-18(25) cm, open or loosely contracted, with (1)2(3) branches per node;

branches erect to stiffly spreading.

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

8-13(16) mm, with (3)4-5(7) 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 distal florets;

lower glumes 4.5-7.5(8.5) mm, shorter than or about equaling the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 5.3-8.2(9) mm;

lemmas (6.2)7-8.5(10) mm, chartaceous to somewhat coriaceous, scabrous, backs rounded below the middle, veins more or less obscure, apices mucronate or shortly awned, awns to 1.5 mm;

paleas somewhat shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (3.3) 4.5-6 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= unknown.

= 56.