Flora of North America species comparison

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

40-70(100) cm, smooth, glabrous throughout;

nodes usually not exposed.

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

collars glabrous;

ligules (0.2)0.3-0.5 mm;

blades 1.5-3 mm in diameter, loosely conduplicate to flat, persistent, abaxial surfaces glabrous and smooth, adaxial surfaces scabrous or pubescent on the ribs, veins 7-13, ribs 7-10(13), blades of the lower and upper cauline leaves similar in length and stiffness;

abaxial sclerenchyma in strands opposite and about as wide as the major veins;

adaxial sclerenchyma often present opposite the major veins;

pillars or girders often developed.

(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.

8-12(15) cm, loosely contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches lax, spreading or loosely erect, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

9-13.5 mm, with 4-6 florets.

8-15(18) mm, with (3)4-6(10) 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 to ovate-lanceolate, scabrous distally;

lower glumes (2)3.5-5.5 mm;

upper glumes (4)5.5-7(8) mm;

calluses wider than long, glabrous, sometimes slightly scabrous;

lemmas (5.5)8-10(11) mm, lanceolate, scabrous or puberulent at least distally, attenuate, sometimes minutely bidentate, awns 1-3(3.5) mm, terminal or subterminal, straight, occasionally absent;

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

anthers (3)3.7-5.7 mm;

ovary apices sparsely or densely pubescent.

= unknown.

= unknown.