Flora of North America species comparison

(35)50-90 (100) cm, erect, glabrous, smooth.

(25)50-80(105) cm, erect, glabrous and smooth throughout.

closed for less than 1/2 their length, glabrous, hirsute, or scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.5-1(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces glabrous or puberulent, adaxial surfaces sometimes scabrous, glabrous or pubescent, veins (5)7-9, ribs 5-9, well defined;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 wide strands, sometimes confluent into a single band;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

closed for about 1/2 their length, glabrous, smooth, usually reddish blue towards the bases, persistent, flag leaf sheaths tightly enclosing the culms;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.6-1.2(1.5) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces glabrous, smooth or scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous, veins (5)7-9, ribs 5-9;

abaxial sclerenchyma in (5)7-9 broad strands, rarely some strands confluent;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

(7)8-20(25) cm, loosely to densely contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect to slightly spreading, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

(3)8-18 (25) cm, open or loosely contracted, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches somewhat lax, erect to spreading, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

9-13.5 mm, with 4-6 florets.

(5)6-8.5(10) mm, with (3)4-6(8) florets.

exceeded by the upper florets, ovate-lanceolate, smooth or scabrous distally;

lower glumes (2)2.5-5 mm;

upper glumes 4-6.2 mm;

lemmas 5-7(8.2) mm, scabrous near the apices, awns (2)3-5 mm, terminal, usually more than 1/2 as long as the lemma bodies;

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

anthers (2.6)2.8-3.6(4) mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

exceeded by the upper florets, lanceolate, mostly smooth and glabrous, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 2.5-4 mm;

upper glumes 3-5(5.5) mm;

lemmas (3.5)4-5.6(6.6) mm, usually smooth, sometimes scabrous near the apices, lanceolate, usually acute, sometimes obtuse, unawned, occasionally mucronate;

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

anthers (2)3-4 mm;

ovary apices glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

= unknown.

= 14.