Flora of North America species comparison

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

10-37 cm, erect, glabrous, smooth.

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;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.5 mm;

blades 0.4-0.7(1) mm in diameter, conduplicate, veins 5-7, ribs 1-5, abaxial surfaces smooth, adaxial surfaces scabrous or puberulent;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 5-7 strands, at least twice as wide as high, often some strands confluent;

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)2-5 cm, contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

4-5.6(6) mm, with 3-4(5) 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, mostly glabrous and smooth, sometimes scabrous distally;

lower glumes 1.5-2 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate;

upper glumes (2)2.2-2.7 mm, ovate;

lemmas (2.5)3-3.5(4) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, usually scabrous distally, sometimes smooth, usually awned, occasionally unawned, awns 0.7-2.1 mm, terminal;

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

anthers 0.8-1.3 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

leaf sheaths tight or somewhat loose;

flag leaf blades 1-5 cm.

= 28, 42.

= 42.