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.

2-10(18) cm, erect to spreading;

nodes terete, none 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 1/10 – 1/5 their length, terete, smooth, glabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 1.5-7 times blade lengths;

collars smooth, glabrous;

ligules 1-3 mm, milky white, smooth or sparsely scabrous, apices obtuse to acute, ligules of upper innovation leaves shorter than 3 mm;

innovation blades similar to the cauline blades;

cauline blades 1-3.5(4.5) cm long, 0.9-1.8 mm wide, folded, moderately thick, soft, smooth, glabrous, adaxial surfaces infrequently sparsely scabrous, usually with papillae on the long cells (at 100x), apices narrowly prow-shaped, flag leaf blades folded, 1-1.8 mm wide, abaxial surfaces with 7-15 closely spaced, slightly protruding ribs.

all or mostly extravaginal.

all or mainly intravaginal.

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.

1-4(6) cm, erect, ovoid to lanceoloid, contracted, congested, with 9-40 spikelets;

nodes with 1-3 branches;

branches 0.5-1.5 cm, erect, fairly straight, sulcate or angled, angles sparsely to densely scabrous, with 1-7 spikelets;

pedicels shorter than the 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.

3.5-6 mm long, lengths to 3.5(3.8) times widths, lanceolate, laterally compressed, fairly strongly anthocyanic, not glaucous;

florets 2-3;

rachilla internodes terete, to 1.5 mm, smooth, sometimes sparsely hispidulous.

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.

lanceolate, smooth, distinctly keeled, keels sparsely scabrous;

lower glumes shorter than to equaling the lowest lemmas, 3-veined;

upper glumes frequently exceeding the lowest lemmas, exceeded by the upper lemmas;

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 3-4.9 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, thin, smooth or finely scabrous, glabrous or the keels and marginal veins sparsely puberulent proximally, lateral veins obscure, margins glabrous, apices acute;

palea keels scabrous;

anthers 0.6-1.3(1.8) mm.

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

= unknown.