Flora of North America species comparison

50-120 cm, glabrous.

10-37 cm, erect, glabrous, smooth.

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;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.5 mm;

blades 0.4-0.7(1) mm in diameter, conduplicate, veins 5-7, ribs 1-5, abaxial surfaces smooth, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 strands, at least twice as wide as high, often some strands confluent;

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)2-5 cm, contracted, 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.

4-5.6(6) mm, with 3-4(5) 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, mostly glabrous and smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1.5-2 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate;

upper glumes (2)2.2-2.7 mm, ovate;

lemmas (2.5)3-3.5(4) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, usually scabrous distally, sometimes smooth, usually awned, occasionally unawned, awns 0.7-2.1 mm, terminal;

paleas about as long as the lemmas, intercostal region smooth or scabrous distally;

anthers 0.8-1.3 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

leaf sheaths tight or somewhat loose;

flag leaf blades 1-5 cm.

= unknown.

= 42.