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.

(7)15-60 cm tall, 1.5-2 mm thick, bases decumbent, terete or weakly compressed, smooth or moderately scabrous below the panicles;

nodes terete, 0(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 1/2 their length, terete, glabrous or sparsely retrorsely scabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 1.7-4(6) times blade lengths;

collars smooth, glabrous;

ligules 1-5 mm, scabrous, truncate to acute, ciliolate;

innovation blades to 30 cm, moderately to densely scabrous or hispidulous on and between the veins;

cauline blades subequal in length, 2-4 mm wide, involute, thick, somewhat arcuate, firm, abaxial surfaces smooth or moderately to densely scabrous or hispidulous on and between the veins, apices narrowly prow-shaped, flag leaf blades 1-10 cm.

all or mostly extravaginal.

mostly intravaginal, some extravaginal.

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.

3-15 cm, erect, ovoid to lanceolate, contracted, often interrupted, congested, with 15-80 spikelets, rachises glabrous, smooth to moderately scabrous;

nodes with 1-2 branches;

branches 1-6 cm, erect, stiff, terete to weakly angled, smooth or sparsely to moderately scabrous, with 3-17 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.

9-17 mm, lengths to 3 times widths, laterally compressed, not sexually dimorphic;

florets 3-6(10);

rachilla internodes smooth, usually hairy, hairs 0.3-0.4+ mm, rarely 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.

broadly lanceolate, subequal to the adjacent lemmas, distinctly keeled, keels sparsely scabrous near the apices;

lower glumes 3-veined;

upper glumes usually 7+ mm, 3-5-veined;

calluses usually with a crown of hairs, sometimes glabrous or diffusely webbed;

lemmas (6)7.5-11 mm, lanceolate, 5-7(11)-veined, distinctly keeled, keels and marginal veins, and sometimes the lateral veins, short-villous to softly puberulent, intercostal regions smooth or scabrous, glabrous or softly puberulent, margins glabrous, apices acute;

palea keels scabrous, intercostal regions glabrous;

anthers vestigial (0.1-0.2 mm) or (2)3-4(5) mm.

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

= 28.