Flora of North America species comparison

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

(40) 50-100(150) cm, glabrous, erect or decumbent at the base.

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 less than 1/3 their length, glabrous or sparsely pilose, shredding into fibers;

ligules (0.2)0.5-1(2) mm;

blades (3)5-10 mm wide, flat or loosely convolute, glabrous or sparsely pilose, smooth or scabrous, veins (11)15-39, ribs obscure;

abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow strands;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders or pillars usually associated with the major veins.

(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.

13-25 cm, open, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches lax, usually reflexed, sometimes spreading, spikelets borne towards the ends of the branches, not or only slightly imbricate.

9-13.5 mm, with 4-6 florets.

4-5(7) mm, elliptic to ovate, with 2-4(6) 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.

ovate-lanceolate, scabrous on the veins and distal margins;

lower glumes 2.5-3.5 mm, usually distinctly shorter than the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 3-4(4.7) mm;

lemmas 3-4.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate, stiffly chartaceous, glabrous, obtuse or somewhat acute, unawned;

paleas as long as or slightly shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region smooth or scabridulous distally;

anthers (0.8)1-1.7(2.2) mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= unknown.

= 42.