Flora of North America species comparison

(45) 60-100(120) cm, glabrous, smooth or scabrous below the inflorescence.

5-25(30) cm, densely pubescent or shortly pilose near the inflorescence.

closed for less than 1/3 their length, smooth or scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 2-5(9) mm, entire or lacerate, not ciliate;

blades 1.5-3 mm wide, 0.8-1.8 mm in diameter when conduplicate, deciduous, abaxial surfaces scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or pubescent, veins 9-15, ribs 7-13;

abaxial sclerenchyma a more or less continuous band;

adaxial sclerenchyma present;

girders usually formed at the major veins, sometimes only pillars present.

closed for about 1/2 their length, glabrous, persistent or slowly shredding into fibers;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.3 mm;

blades (0.4)0.6-1(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, abaxial surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins (3)5-7, ribs 3-5;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3-7 small strands, usually less than twice as wide as high;

adaxial sclerenchyma absent.

(7)10-15(17) cm, open, with 1-2(3) branches per node;

branches 4.5-9 cm, lax, erect or spreading, spikelets borne towards the ends of the branches.

1.5-4(5) cm, contracted, usually panicles, rarely racemes, usually somewhat secund, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

(8)10-14 mm, with (3)4-5(6) florets.

(4.5)5-7.5(8.5) mm, with (2)3-5(6) florets.

unequal to subequal, ovate-lanceolate, scabrous or smooth, acute;

lower glumes (2)3.5-5.5 mm;

upper glumes (2.5)4.5-6.5(7) mm;

lemmas 6-10 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, scabrous or smooth, unawned, sometimes mucronate, mucros to 0.2 mm;

paleas shorter than to as long as the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers 3-4.5 mm;

ovary apices densely pubescent.

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

lower glumes 2.2-3.7(4) mm;

upper glumes 3-5 mm;

lemmas (3.5)4-6 mm, scabridulous near the apices, awns 0.8-2.6(3.3) mm, terminal;

paleas slightly shorter than to as long as the lemmas, intercostal region scabrous distally;

anthers 0.3-0.7 (1.1) mm;

ovary apices usually with a few hairs, rarely glabrous.

leaf sheaths usually somewhat loosely enclosing the culms;

flag leaf blades 0.5-4 cm.

= 28, 42.

= 28.