Flora of North America species comparison

50-120 cm, glabrous.

20-50(60) 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, usually glabrous, sometimes pubescent distally, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades (0.3) 0.5-0.8(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, veins 5-7, ribs (1)3-5, abaxial surfaces glabrous or pubescent, not pilose, adaxial surfaces smooth or scabrous;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3 broad strands, sometimes with additional narrow strands between the midrib and margins;

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.

(3)5-10 cm, panicles, contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect or somewhat spreading, at least at anthesis, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

(4.8)5.5-6.5(8.5) mm, with 3-5(8) 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 to lanceolate, mostly smooth or sometimes scabrous on the upper midvein;

lower glumes 2-3 mm;

upper glumes (2.3)2.5-4(4.3) mm;

lemmas (3.2)3.5-4.5(5.3) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, smooth throughout or scabrous distally, awns (0.5)1-2 mm, terminal;

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

anthers 2.2-2.6 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= unknown.

= 14.