Flora of North America species comparison

10-100 cm, usually erect.

20-100 cm, erect to decumbent.

either concentrated at the base or distributed along the culms;

ligules 1-3 mm, obtuse, usually entire, sometimes slightly erose;

blades 1-4 mm wide, flat to involute.

5-30 cm, compact to diffuse at maturity, usually distinctly exserted from the sheaths, lower branches usually erect to diverging, occasionally descending, spikelet-bearing from the base or on the distal 2/3;

pedicels scabrous, lacking tumid epidermal cells.

3-30 cm, compact to diffuse at maturity, lower branches erect to descending, spikelet-bearing from about midlength;

pedicels usually densely scabrous, occasionally with only a few scattered scabrules, often with tumid epidermal cells.

3.5-9 mm, with 2-7 florets.

5.5-13 mm, with 4-9 florets.

rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute to obtuse;

lower glumes 0.5-1.5 mm, usually less than 1/2 as long as the adjacent lemmas;

upper glumes 1-2.8 mm;

rachilla internodes slightly and gradually broadened to the point of attachment with the lemmas;

calluses with a few hairs;

lemmas (2)2.2-3(3.5) mm, herbaceous, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the proximal 1/2, principally along the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, smooth distally, lateral margins inrolled or not, apical margins uniformly and densely scabrous, apices acute to obtuse, entire;

palea veins glabrous, short-ciliate, or with a few long hairs proximally, smooth or scabrous distally;

anthers 0.6-2 mm.

rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute to obtuse;

lower glumes 2-3.4 mm;

upper glumes 3-4.5 mm;

calluses with few to many hairs;

lemmas 3-5 mm, slightly to markedly coriaceous throughout, sparsely to densely hairy in the lower 1/2, principally along the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, usually not extending to the margins, sometimes the midvein doing so, apical margins usually smooth, sometimes with a few scattered scabrules, occasionally densely scabrous, apices acute to obtuse, entire;

palea veins ciliate proximally, scabrous to short-ciliate distally;

anthers 1.5-2.6 mm.

1-3.5 mm, obtuse to truncate, entire;

blades 2-4.4 mm wide, flat to involute.

= 28, 42, 56.

= 14-77, usually 56.