Flora of North America species comparison

10-100 cm, usually erect.

usually erect, 2-25 cm.

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.

1-18 cm, compact, mostly linear at maturity, primary branches usually spikelet-bearing to the base, lower branches erect;

pedicels densely scabrous or with only a few scattered scabrules, often also with a few hairs, often with tumid epidermal cells.

3.5-9 mm, with 2-7 florets.

3.5-8 mm, with 2-7 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 to weakly keeled over the back, veins obscure to prominent, apices acute;

lower glumes 1.3-2 mm;

upper glumes 2.3-3 mm;

calluses hairy;

lemmas 2.5-4 mm, mostly herbaceous, usually with about 0.1 mm hairs distributed sparsely and evenly between the veins, longer hairs also usually present along the veins and near the base, basal hairs often longest, twisted and tangled, backs rounded, sometimes keeled distally, 5-veined, veins usually obscure, sometimes prominent, midveins sometimes reaching the margins, other veins usually not doing so, apical margins often hyaline, smooth or with a few scattered scabrules, apices acute, entire;

palea veins with hairs, hairs on the proximal portion longer, twisted and somewhat tangled, hairs on the distal 2/3 usually short and straight;

anthers 0.2-0.5 mm.

1-3 mm, acute to obtuse, entire;

blades 0.7-2 mm wide, flat to involute.

= 28, 42, 56.

= 56.