Flora of North America species comparison

30-120 cm, bases often decumbent.

10-30(40) cm, mostly erect, with 0-1 slightly exposed nodes.

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.

closed for 1/5 – 2/5 their length, terete, smooth and glabrous, bases of basal sheaths glabrous, distal sheath lengths 1.4-3.6 times blade lengths;

collars smooth, glabrous;

ligules of cauline leaves 3-8 mm, colorless, transparent, smooth, margins decurrent, apices obtuse to acuminate, ligules of the innovation leaves 2.5-6 mm;

innovation blades similar to the cauline blades, 1-2 mm wide, involute, moderately thick, abaxial surfaces smooth, adaxial surfaces smooth or sparsely scabrous, sometimes sparsely hispidulous;

cauline blades gradually reduced in length distally, 1-2 mm wide, folded or involute, moderately thick, soft, abaxial surfaces smooth, apices narrowly prow-shaped.

mainly pseudointravaginal.

strictly extravaginal.

(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.

3-7 cm, erect or slightly nodding, narrowly lanceoloid to narrowly ovoid, often interrupted, contracted to loosely contracted, with 9-38(60) spikelets;

nodes with 1-2 branches;

branches 0.5-1.5(2.5) cm, erect at maturity, slender, terete to sulcate or weakly angled, sparsely to moderately scabrous, with 1-5 spikelets.

2.5-4.4 mm, laterally compressed;

florets 2-3(4);

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

4-6.5 mm, lengths to 3.5 times widths, lanceolate, laterally compressed, not sexually dimorphic, usually strongly anthocyanic, less so in pistillate plants;

florets 2-4;

rachilla internodes smooth, glabrous or sparsely hispidulous.

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.

unequal, lanceolate, thin, lustrous, distinctly keeled, keels and distal surface smooth or sparsely finely scabrous;

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

calluses glabrous;

lemmas 3.5-5.5 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, thinly membranous, smooth or sparsely scabrous, glabrous, lateral veins moderately prominent, margins glabrous, apices acute;

palea keels finely scabrous;

anthers vestigial (0.1-0.2 mm) or 2-4.5 mm.

= 28.

= 42, 81 (both counts of uncertain application).