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.

35-120 cm, not forming corms;

internodes scabridulous immediately above the nodes.

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.

glabrous or pilose;

ligules 0.8-6.5 mm;

blades 1-6 mm wide, abaxial surfaces glabrous or puberulent, 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.

5-36 cm;

branches 2.5-9 cm, appressed to reflexed, straight or flexuous, with 5-30 spikelets;

pedicels not sharply bent;

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.

3-7 mm, with 1(2) bisexual florets;

rachilla internodes 0.3-0.6 mm.

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.

2-5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, 1-veined;

upper glumes 2.5-6 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, 1-veined;

lemmas 3-7 mm, glabrous, sometimes scabrous, with 7+ veins, veins prominent, apices rounded to acute, unawned;

paleas almost as long as the lemmas;

anthers 1.5-2.5 mm;

rudiments 1-4 mm, not resembling the lower florets, longer and thicker than the terminal rachilla internode, truncate to obtuse.

= 18.

= 18.