Flora of North America species comparison

30-120 cm, bases often decumbent.

10-40 cm.

closed for (1/20) 1/2-7/8 their length, terete, throats frequently ciliate near the point of fusion;

ligules 0.5-2.7 mm, smooth or sparsely scabrous, truncate to obtuse;

blades 0.7-5 mm wide, flat, thin, lax.

mainly pseudointravaginal.

intravaginal.

mostly basal;

sheaths closed for 1/8 – 2/7 their length, terete, basal sheaths persistent, overlapping, bases usually not swollen;

ligules of innovations 1-2(3) mm, those of the upper cauline leaves to 4(5) mm, milky white, smooth, glabrous, obtuse;

blades of innovations widely spreading, persisting through the season, blades of cauline leaves 1-5(12) cm long, 2-4.5 mm wide, flat, moderately thick, soft, straight, smooth or the margins sparsely scabrous, apices broadly prow-shaped, blades of upper cauline leaves much reduced in length.

(6.7)9-20 cm, open, narrowly conical at maturity;

nodes with (2)3-10 branches per node;

branches (2)3-7 cm, spreading to eventually reflexed, straight, angled, angles several, densely scabrous, with 1-11 spikelets.

2-6(8) cm, erect, ovoid to pyramidal, open or loosely contracted at maturity, fairly congested;

nodes with 1-2 branches, lowest internodes 0.6-1(1.5) cm;

branches 1-3(4) cm, ascending to spreading, straight, terete, usually smooth or sparsely scabrous, rarely moderately densely scabrous;

pedicels divaricate, shorter than the spikelets.

2.5-4.4 mm, laterally compressed;

florets 2-3(4);

rachilla internodes longer than (1)1.2 mm, smooth, glabrous.

3.9-6.2 mm, ovate, lengths 1.5-2.5 times widths, laterally compressed, plump, sometimes bulbiferous;

florets 3-7, usually normal;

rachilla internodes 0.5-0.8 mm, smooth, glabrous or sparsely softly puberulent to short-villous.

distinctly keeled, keels scabrous;

lower glumes 1(3)-veined;

upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;

calluses webbed;

lemmas 2.1-3.1 mm, broadly lanceolate, distinctly keeled, keels and marginal veins short-villous, extending to near the apices on the keels, lateral veins prominent, softly puberulent to short-villous, intercostal regions usually sparsely softly puberulent, smooth, apices obtuse to acute;

palea keels softly puberulent at midlength, apices finely scabrous;

anthers 1-1.8 mm.

broadly lanceolate to narrowly ovate, keeled, keels sparsely scabrous;

lower glumes 3-veined;

upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 3-5 mm, broadly lanceolate, keeled, keels and marginal veins short- to long-villous, lateral veins moderately prominent, intercostal regions sparsely to moderately short-villous, apices acute;

palea keels softly puberulent to short-villous over most of their length, apices scabrous;

anthers 1.3-2.3 mm.

= 28.

= 22, 23, 24,25, 26, 27, 28, 28+11, 30, 31, 32, 32+1, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40+1, 41, 42, ca. 43, 44, 46, ca. 48, 56.