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.

20-110 cm.

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 (1/5)1/4 – 1/2(3/5) their length, distinctly compressed and keeled, usually densely retrorsely scabrous, rarely sparsely scabrous, margins not ciliate;

ligules 3-12 mm, densely scabrous, acute to acuminate;

blades (1.2)1.5-6(10) mm wide, flat, lax, apices broadly prow-shaped.

mainly extravaginal.

mixed intra- and extra-vaginal.

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.

(6)12-40 cm, lax, eventually open, spikelets numerous, with 2-7 branches per node;

branches (3)5-18(23) cm, eventually spreading or drooping, angled, angles densely scabrous, with (5)8-40(120) spikelets.

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

florets 2-5;

rachilla internodes smooth.

(3)4-7(8) mm, laterally compressed, with 3-7 florets;

rachilla internodes shorter than 1 mm, smooth.

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.

distinctly keeled, keels scabrous;

lower glumes 2-3.5 mm, 1-veined;

upper glumes 2.5-4.2 mm, shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;

calluses webbed;

lemmas 2.6-4.2 mm, narrowly lanceolate, distinctly keeled, scabrous distally, keels and marginal veins short- to long-villous, keel hairs extending to midlength, marginal vein hairs to 1/3 the lemma length, lateral veins and intercostal regions usually sparsely softly puberulent, lateral veins prominent, apices narrowly acute;

palea keels scabrous, glabrous;

anthers 0.3-1 mm.

= 28.

= 14, 28.