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1 Panicle branches elongate, pendulous; spikelets (15-) 20-40 mm long, with 6-20 flowers |
| 1 Panicle branches short, erect or ascending; spikelets 5-18 mm long, with 2-8 (-11) flowers. |
| ..2 Fully-developed spikelets 12-18 mm long, 8-12 mm wide. |
| ....3 Axils of the spikelets and panicle branches glabrous; empty lemmas (0-) 1 (-2); [se. NC south to c. peninsular FL and e. FL Panhandle] |
| ....3 Axils of the spikelets and panicle branches with a tuft of long hairs; empty lemmas 2-4; [w. FL Panhandle west to e. LA (Florida parishes)] |
| ..2 Fully-developed spikelets 4-9 mm long, 3-7 mm wide. |
| ......4 Collar (junction of leaf and sheath) and sheath glabrous or nearly so; leaves 3-7 mm wide |
| ......4 Collar (junction of leaf and sheath) and sheath pilose; leaves 6-12 mm wide. |
| ........5 Inflorescence with divergent branches; [outer Coastal Plain calcareous sites from SC southward] |
| ........5 Inflorescence with appressed branches; [more widespread in our area] |