Flora of North America species comparison

30-80 cm, mostly erect, smooth below the panicles;

nodes slightly compressed, 2-5 exserted, top node at 1/2 - 3/4 the culm length.

2-15 cm, prostrate to erect, slender;

nodes terete, usually 1 exserted.

closed for 1/10 – 1/5 their length, terete, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 0.45-1 (1.1) times blade lengths;

ligules 0.2-0.8(1) mm, sparsely to densely scabrous, apices truncate, minutely ciliolate;

blades 0.8-3 mm wide, mostly flat, appressed, abruptly ascending to spreading, straight or somewhat lax, apices narrowly prow-shaped.

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

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

blades 1-3(4) mm wide, flat, thin, soft, smooth, margins usually slightly scabrous, apices broadly prow-shaped.

all or mostly extravaginal.

intravaginal, sterile shoots common, similar to the culms.

7-16(20) cm, lengths usually 2.5-4 times widths at maturity, usually erect, lax in shade forms, narrowly lanceoloid to ovoid, slightly to moderately congested;

nodes with 2-5 branches;

branches ascending to widely spreading, fairly straight, slender to moderately stout, angled, angles moderately to densely scabrous.

1-6 cm, lengths 1.5-3 times widths, erect;

nodes with 1-2(5) branches;

branches ascending, straight, terete, smooth, with crowded spikelets.

3-8 mm, lengths 2.5-3.5 times widths, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, laterally compressed, usually not glaucous;

florets (1)2-5;

rachilla internodes usually shorter than 1 mm, smooth, muriculate, or scabrous, usually puberulent, infrequently hispidulous or glabrous.

3-5 mm, laterally compressed;

florets 2-6;

rachilla internodes smooth, glabrous, usually exposed in side view, distal internodes 1/2 - 3/4 the length of tbe distal lemma.

subulate to narrowly lanceolate, distinctly keeled, keels smooth or sparsely scabrous, apices sharply acute to acuminate;

lower glumes 3-veined, long-tapered to a slender point, lengths 6.4-11 times widths;

upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;

calluses webbed, hairs sparse, often short;

lemmas 2.4-4 mm, proximal lemma widths less than 1/5 times lengths, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, distinctly keeled, keels and marginal veins short-villous, lateral veins glabrous, obscure, intercostal regions smooth or muriculate, glabrous, margins glabrous, apices acute, usually partially bronze-colored;

palea keels scabrous, intercostal regions glabrous;

anthers 0.8-1.9 mm.

smooth, distinctly keeled, keels smooth;

lower glumes 1-veined;

upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 2-2.5 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, smooth throughout, the keels, marginal and lateral veins crisply puberulent to long-villous, lateral veins prominent, intercostal regions glabrous, margins smooth, glabrous, apices obtuse to acute;

palea keels smooth, short- to long-villous;

anthers 0.1-0.6 mm, more or less spherical to short-elliptical prior to dehiscence, those of the upper 1-2 florets commonly vestigial.

= 28, 35, 42, 48, 50, 56.

= 14.