Flora of North America species comparison

15-60 cm, erect or the bases decumbent, not branching above the base, terete or weakly compressed;

nodes terete, 0-1 exserted.

2-20(45) cm, prostrate to erect, slender;

nodes terete, usually 1 exserted.

closed for about 1/2 their length, slightly compressed, distinctly keeled, glabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 4-60 times blade lengths;

collars of proximal leaves usually retrorsely scabrous or pubescent distally and about the throat;

ligules 0.5-4 mm, smooth or scabrous, apices truncate to acute;

innovation blades similar to the cauline blades;

cauline blades 1-4 mm wide, usually flat, sometimes slightly folded, smooth or sparsely scabrous, primarily over the veins, apices broadly prow-shaped, blades steeply reduced in length distally, flag leaf blades 0.2-3(6) cm.

closed for about 1/3 their length, terete or weakly compressed, smooth;

ligules 0.5-3(5) mm, smooth, glabrous, decurrent, obtuse to truncate;

blades 1-10 cm long, 1-3(6) mm wide, flat or weakly folded, thin, soft, smooth, margins usually slightly scabrous, apices broadly prow-shaped.

mainly extravaginal.

intravaginal, innovations common, similar to the culms.

5-15 cm, erect or lax, pyramidal, open, sparse, with 20-80 spikelets, proximal internodes usually 3+ cm;

nodes usually with 2 branches;

branches (2)3-7(10) cm, spreading to reflexed, straight, angled, angles scabrous, with 2-8(10) spikelets.

1-7(10) cm, lengths 1.2-1.6 times widths, erect;

nodes with 1-2(3) branches;

branches ascending to spreading or reflexed, straight, terete, smooth, with crowded or loosely arranged spikelets.

5-8 mm, lengths to 3.5 times widths, laterally compressed, not sexually dimorphic;

florets 2-5;

rachilla internodes smooth.

3-5 mm, laterally compressed;

florets 2-6;

rachilla internodes smooth, glabrous, concealed or exposed, distal internodes less than 1/2(3/4) the length of the distal lemma.

narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, distinctly keeled;

lower glumes 1-3-veined;

calluses webbed, hairs over 1/3 the lemma length;

lemmas 3-6 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, keels and marginal veins sparsely short- to long-villous, lateral veins moderately prominent, intercostal regions glabrous or the upper florets in the spikelets softly puberulent, margins glabrous, apices acute;

palea keels scabrous, softly puberulent at midlength;

anthers vestigial (0.1-0.2 mm) or 2-3.5 mm.

smooth, distinctly keeled, keels smooth;

lower glumes 1-veined;

upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemma;

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 2.5-4 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, smooth throughout, the keels, marginal veins, and, usually, lateral veins crisply puberulent to long-villous, rarely glabrous throughout, lateral veins prominent, intercostal regions glabrous, margins smooth, glabrous, apices obtuse to acute;

palea keels smooth, usually short- to long-villous, rarely glabrous;

anthers 0.6-1.1 mm, oblong prior to dehiscence, those of the upper 1-2 florets usually vestigial.

= 28.

= 28.