Flora of North America species comparison

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

20-50(60) 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, usually glabrous, sometimes pubescent distally, persistent;

collars glabrous;

ligules 0.1-0.5 mm;

blades (0.3) 0.5-0.8(1.2) mm in diameter, conduplicate, veins 5-7, ribs (1)3-5, abaxial surfaces glabrous or pubescent, not pilose, adaxial surfaces smooth or scabrous;

abaxial sclerenchyma in 3 broad strands, sometimes with additional narrow strands between the midrib and margins;

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.

(3)5-10 cm, panicles, contracted, with 1-2 branches per node;

branches erect or somewhat spreading, at least at anthesis, lower branches with 2+ spikelets.

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

(4.8)5.5-6.5(8.5) mm, with 3-5(8) 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 to lanceolate, mostly smooth or sometimes scabrous on the upper midvein;

lower glumes 2-3 mm;

upper glumes (2.3)2.5-4(4.3) mm;

lemmas (3.2)3.5-4.5(5.3) mm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, smooth throughout or scabrous distally, awns (0.5)1-2 mm, terminal;

paleas as long as the lemmas, intercostal region puberulent distally;

anthers 2.2-2.6 mm;

ovary apices glabrous.

= 28, 42.

= 14.