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1 Plant annual (easily uprooted); stamen 1. |
2 First glume < ½ as long as the second glume |
2 First glume > ½ as long as the second glume. |
3 Lemma pubescent; lowest lemma 2.5-3.5 mm long; grains 1.5-2 mm long |
3 Lemma glabrous or scabrous; lowest lemma 2.7-7 mm long; grains 1.7-3.3 mm long. |
4 First glume 1.7-4.5 mm long; lemma awns 3-12 mm long; spikelets with 4-7 loosely imbricate florets; rachilla internodes mostly 0.9-1.1 mm long |
4 First glume 3.5-5 mm long; lemma awns 0.3-6 (-9) mm long; spikelets with 5-11 (-more) closely imbricate florets; rachilla internodes mostly 0.5-0.7 mm long. |
5 Spikelets 5.5-10 (-13) mm long; awn of the lowest lemma 3-9 mm long |
5 Spikelets 4-5.5 (-6.5) mm long; awn of the lowest lemma 0.3-3 mm long |
1 Plant perennial (firmly rooted); stamens 3. |
6 Leaves 0.2-3 mm wide, often involute or conduplicate. |
7 Plants loosely tufted, often rhizomatous; basal sheaths disintegrating into fibers; spikelets 6-13 mm long |
7 Plants tufted, lacking rhizomes; basal sheaths usually persistent, remaining firm and entire; spikelets 3-9 (-10) mm long. |
8 Lemmas 2.3-4.0 (-4.4) mm long, awnless, or with a minute projection ( mucro) to 0.4 mm long; spikelets 3.0-6.0 (-6.5) mm long |
8 Lemmas (3-) 3.4-5.5 mm long, with an awn 0.5-2.5 mm long; spikelets 4.5-9.0 mm long |
9 Anthers 0.8-1.8 mm long; lower panicle branches strongly ascending; [high elevation boreal habitats, NY northward] |
9 Anthers 1.8-2.6 mm long; lower panicle branches often spreading; [widespread in a variety of habits in e. and w. US] |
6 Leaves 3-12 mm wide, flat. |
10 Larger lemmas 5.5-10 mm long; leaf blades auriculate at the base; anthers 2-4 mm long |
11 Auricles ciliate (sometimes only very sparsely so – check several at 10-20× magnification); spikelets with 3-6 (-9) florets; old sheaths pale straw-colored, often remaining intact; internodes of the rachilla antrorsely scabrous |
11 Auricles glabrous; spikelets with (2-) 4-10 (-12) florets; old sheaths brown, decaying to fibers; internodes of the rachilla glabrous (smooth) or nearly so |
10 Larger lemmas 3.3-5.2 mm long; leaf blades not auriculate at the base; anthers 0.8-1.5 mm long; [subgenus Subulatae, section Obtusae]. |
12 Ligules 2-9 mm long; [rare introduction] |
12 Ligules 0.1-1.5 (-2) mm long; [common natives]. |
13 Principal lowermost panicle branches with 8-20 spikelets clustered at the end; spikelets broadly ovate, 4-6 mm wide |
13 Principal lowermost panicle branches with 2-7 spikelets scattered along the outer half; spikelets narrowly ovate, 2-4 mm wide |
1 Inflorescence paniculate (spikelets borne on branches off the central axis, not 2-ranked). |
2 Auricles ciliate (sometimes only very sparsely so – check several at 10-20× magnification); spikelets with 3-6 (-9) florets; old sheaths pale straw-colored, often remaining intact; internodes of the rachilla antrorsely scabrous |
2 Auricles glabrous; spikelets with (2-) 4-10 (-12) florets; old sheaths brown, decaying to fibers; internodes of the rachilla glabrous (smooth) or nearly so |
1 Inflorescence spikelike (spikelets sessile on the central axis, 2-ranked). |
3 Glumes (12-) 15-25 mm long, subcoriaceous, equaling or surpassing the uppermost lemma (therefore the length of the spikelet); florets 4-9 per spikelet; annual |
3 Glumes 4-12 mm long, herbaceous, shorter than the lemmas (therefore shorter than the spikelet); florets (2-) 5-22 per spikelet; annual or perennial. |
4 Lemmas (at least the upper) awned, the awns to 15 mm long; florets 11-22 per spikelet; annual or perennial |
4 Lemmas awnless; florets (2-) 5-10 per spikelet; perennial |