Flora of North America species comparison

45-100 cm, forming corms, corms connected to the rhizomes by a rootlike, 10-30 mm structure, which usually remains attached to the corm;

internodes smooth.

65-200 cm, glabrous, forming corms, corms sessile on the rhizomes;

internodes smooth.

usually glabrous, often pilose at the throat and collar;

ligules 0.1-2 mm;

blades 2-5 mm wide, abaxial surfaces scabridulous over the veins, adaxial surfaces usually glabrous.

scabridulous to scabrous, sometimes sparsely pilose, particularly at the throat and collar;

ligules 0.8-5 mm;

blades 2-8 mm wide, abaxial surfaces scabridulous, adaxial surfaces with hairs.

5-26 cm;

branches 2-5 cm, usually appressed, sometimes divergent and flexuous, with 2-3 spikelets;

pedicels not sharply bent;

disarticulation above the glumes.

10-30 cm;

branches 3-11 cm, divergent to reflexed, flexuous, with 1-6 spikelets;

pedicels straight;

disarticulation above the glumes.

7-19 mm, with 3-7 bisexual florets, base of the distal florets concealed at anthesis;

rachilla internodes 1-2 mm, not swollen when fresh, not wrinkled when dry.

8-24 mm, with 4-7 bisexual florets, base of the distal florets exposed at anthesis;

rachilla internodes 2-3 mm, not swollen when fresh, not wrinkled when dry.

usually less than 1/2 the length of the spikelets;

lower glumes 3.5-6.4 mm long, 1.5-3 mm wide, 1-3-veined;

upper glumes 5-7 mm long, 2.3-3.5 mm wide, 5-7-veined;

lemmas 6-9 mm, glabrous, scabridulous, 5-11-veined, veins inconspicuous, apices rounded to acute, unawned;

paleas about 73 the length of the lemmas;

anthers 1.5-3 mm;

rudiments 1.5-3.5 mm, acute, distinct from the bisexual florets, sometimes surrounded by a small sterile floret similar in shape to the bisexual florets.

usually less than 1/2 the length of the spikelets;

lower glumes 3.5-7 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, 5-9-veined;

upper glumes 5-11 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, 5-11-veined;

lemmas 7.5-12.5 mm, glabrous or scabrous, 7-veined, veins inconspicuous, apices rounded to acute, sometimes toothed, unawned or awned, awns to 2 mm;

paleas about as long as the lemmas;

anthers 3, 2.5-4 mm;

rudiments 3-7 mm, tapering, resembling the bisexual florets.

3-4 mm.

= 18.

=18.