Flora of North America species comparison

50-120 cm, glabrous.

20-40(50) cm, erect or somewhat geniculate at the base, densely scabrous or pubescent below the inflorescence;

nodes usually not exposed, culms often breaking at the upper nodes at maturity.

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 1/2 their length, glabrous, persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.5 mm;

blades (1)1.2-2.5(3) mm wide, persistent, loosely conduplicate, convolute, or flat, abaxial surfaces glabrous, adaxial surfaces with stiff hairs, veins 7-13, ribs (6)7-13;

abaxial sclerenchyma in strands opposite most of the veins, about as wide as the veins;

adaxial sclerenchyma often present;

pillars or girders sometimes present at the major 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.

6-12 cm, open, with 2-4 branches per node;

branches stiffly divaricate, densely scabrous-ciliate on the angles, lower branches with 2+ spikelets;

pedicels stiffly hairy.

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

5.5-8 mm, with 2(3) 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, lanceolate-acuminate, sparsely scabrous to puberulent;

lower glumes 3.5-5 mm, distinctly shorter than the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 5-7 mm;

lemmas 5-7 mm, chartaceous, scabrous or puberulent, minutely bidentate, awned, awns 1.5-3 mm, subterminal;

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

anthers 1.5-2.5 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= unknown.

= 28.