Flora of North America species comparison

30-100 (120) cm.

10-45 cm, wiry, erect to decumbent.

usually keeled below, glabrous;

ligules 0.2-0.5 mm;

blades (6)10-30(50) cm long, 1-5 mm wide, flat, glabrous on both surfaces.

inflated, mostly glabrous but the apices with small tufts of hairs, hairs to 3 mm;

ligules 0.1-0.3 mm;

blades 1-12 cm long, 0.6-2 mm wide, flat to loosely involute, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface scabridulous, bases of both surfaces sometimes with papillose-based hairs, margins smooth or scabridulous.

20-35(50) cm long, 0.3-2.2(3) cm wide, contracted, narrow, sometimes included in the uppermost sheath;

primary branches 0.4-2.5(5) cm, appressed or spreading to 40° from the rachis, as long or longer than the adjacent internodes;

secondary branches appressed, spikelet-bearing to near the base;

pulvini glabrous;

pedicels 0.1-1.8 mm, appressed.

terminal and axillary, 2-5 cm long, 0.2-0.5 cm wide, contracted, cylindrical, included in the uppermost sheath;

lower nodes with 1-2(3) branches;

primary branches 0.4-1.8 cm, appressed, spikelet-bearing to the base;

secondary branches appressed;

pedicels 0.1-2.5 mm, appressed, scabridulous.

2-2.6(2.7) mm, plumbeous to light brownish.

1.6-3 mm, yellowish to cream-colored, sometimes purple-tinged.

subequal, ovate or obovate, membranous;

lower glumes 0.5-1 mm, often without midveins;

upper glumes 0.8-1.6 mm, 1/2 - 2/3 as long as the florets, acute to obtuse, entire;

lemmas 1.8-2.6(2.7) mm, ovate, membranous, glabrous, acute or obtuse;

paleas 1.9-2.4 mm, ovate, membranous, glabrous;

anthers 3, 0.5-1.1 mm, white, sometimes purple-tinged.

subequal, shorter than the florets, lanceolate to ovate, membranous to chartaceous, glabrous;

lower glumes 1.5-2.4 mm, midveins often greenish;

upper glumes 1.7-2.7 mm;

lemmas 1.6-2.9 mm, ovate, chartaceous, glabrous, acute;

paleas 1.6-3 mm, ovate, chartaceous, glabrous;

anthers 3, 1.1-1.6 mm, purplish.

1-1.2 mm, quadrangular, laterally compressed, reddish-brown, truncate.

1.2-1.8 mm, obovoid, laterally flattened, light brownish or orangish-brown, translucent, finely striate.

= 18, 24, 36.

= 36.