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.

15-50 cm tall, slender, 0.8-0.9 mm thick;

nodes terete, 0-1 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 76-74 their length, terete, scabrous, glabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 2.3-7.7 times blade lengths;

collars sparsely scabrous, glabrous;

ligules 0.5-1.5(2.5) mm, scabrous, apices usually truncate to obtuse, sometimes acute, ligules of innovations to 0.5 mm;

innovation blades filiform;

cauline blades gradually reduced in length upwards, 0.4-1.5 mm wide, mostly folded, thin, soft, soon withering, scabrous, apices narrowly prow-shaped.

mainly extravaginal.

intravaginal.

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.

5-15 cm, 1.3-2.2 times the branch lengths, erect, broadly rhomboidal to pyramidal, open, purple, sparse, proximal internodes 1.5-4.2 cm;

nodes with 1-2(5) branches;

branches 3-8.5 cm, widely spreading, capillary, straight, terete to weakly angled, moderately to mostly densely scabrous, with 3-9 spikelets in the distal 73.

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

florets 2-5;

rachilla internodes smooth.

5-8 mm, lengths (3.8)4-5 times widths, usually narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, subterete to weakly laterally compressed, drab, usually strongly anthocyanic;

florets 3-5;

rachilla internodes 1-1.5+ mm, terete or slightly dorsally compressed, muriculate or scabrous.

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.

lanceolate, distinctly shorter than the adjacent lemmas, scabrous distally, keels indistinct, scabrous, obtuse to acute;

lower glumes 3-veined;

calluses glabrous or with a crown of hairs, hairs to 0.3 mm;

lemmas 3-4.2 mm, lanceolate, weakly keeled, keels, veins, and proximal 2/3 of the intercostal regions puberulent, lateral veins obscure, margins strongly inrolled below, broadly scarious above, glabrous, apices obtuse to acute;

palea keels scabrous, sometimes hairy at midlength;

anthers 1.6-2.1 mm.

= 28.

= 42.