Flora of North America species comparison

10-150(217) cm, mostly erect and unbranched, usually with 3-4 nodes.

not aromatic;

sheaths open, ciliate at the margins of the collars;

ligules membranous;

blades of the basal leaves linear to lanceolate, sometimes ciliate basally, those of the cauline leaves reduced.

terminal, cylindrical to conical panicles with an evident rachis;

rachises often with numerous long hairs;

inflorescence branches 1-7 cm, usually shorter than the rachises, with spikelets in unequally pedicellate pairs;

disarticulation below the glumes.

homogamous and homomorphic, unawned;

calluses very short, hairy, hairs 7-16 mm.

equal to subequal, membranous, 3-9-veined, with hairs longer than the florets over at least the lower 1/2;

lower florets reduced to hyaline or membranous lemmas;

upper florets bisexual, lemmas, if present, hyaline, unawned;

anthers 1-2, yellow to brown;

stigmas elongate, purple to brown;

styles connate or free.

ovate to obovate, light to dark brown, x = 10.

not fused to the branch axes, terminating in cuplike tips.