Flora of North America species comparison

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

(30)40-90(140) cm, scabrous near the inflorescence;

nodes usually not exposed.

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 less than 1/3 their length, glabrous or scabrous, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades 0.8-2 mm in diameter, usually conduplicate, rarely convolute, gray-green, deciduous, abaxial surfaces scabrous, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent, veins (8)11-15(17), ribs (6)7-11;

abaxial sclerenchyma usually forming a more or less continuous band;

adaxial sclerenchyma developed;

girders at the 5-7 major veins;

pillars at some of the other veins.

(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.

(5)9-18(25) cm, open or loosely contracted, with (1)2(3) branches per node;

branches erect to stiffly spreading.

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

8-13(16) mm, with (3)4-5(7) 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 distal florets;

lower glumes 4.5-7.5(8.5) mm, shorter than or about equaling the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 5.3-8.2(9) mm;

lemmas (6.2)7-8.5(10) mm, chartaceous to somewhat coriaceous, scabrous, backs rounded below the middle, veins more or less obscure, apices mucronate or shortly awned, awns to 1.5 mm;

paleas somewhat shorter than the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers (3.3) 4.5-6 mm;

ovary apices pubescent.

= 28, 42.

= 56.