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.

5-35 cm tall, 0.5-0.7 mm thick, erect or the bases decumbent, with 0-1 exserted nodes.

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 2/5 – 4/5 their length, terete, smooth and glabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous;

collars smooth, glabrous;

ligules (1)2-4 mm, colorless, transparent, smooth, margins decurrent or not, apices truncate to acute, ligules of innovation and cauline leaves alike;

innovation blades smooth or sparsely scabrous abaxially;

cauline blades 0.5-1 mm wide, flat, folded, or involute, thin, lax, filiform, usually soon withering, both surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, apices narrowly prow-shaped.

all or mostly extravaginal.

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.

1-5(8) cm, erect to lax, lanceoloid to ovoid or pyramidal, contracted to open, sparse, with (1)6-17(22) spikelets;

nodes with 1-2 branches;

branches 1-4 cm, erect to spreading, slender, terete, smooth or sparsely to rarely moderately densely scabrous, with 1-2(3) 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.

4-8 mm, lengths to 3 times widths, broadly lanceolate to broadly ovate, laterally compressed, not sexually dimorphic;

florets 2-8;

rachilla internodes glabrous.

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.

thin, somewhat lustrous, distinctly keeled;

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

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 3.5-7 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, thinly membranous, smooth or scabrous, glabrous, lateral veins moderately prominent to prominent, margins glabrous, apices acute to truncate and erose;

palea keels smooth or scabrous, glabrous or pectinately ciliate;

anthers vestigial (0.1-0.2 mm) or 1.3-3 mm.

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

= unknown.