Spreading Sprangletop

Description

Leaves with ligule membranous 1-3 mm long, rarely to 7 mm long, usually obtuse, erose; blade flat, rolled or folded when dry, to 0.4 cm wide, scabrous.Inflorescence of racemes on a primary axis, 30-60 cm long, to 30 cm wide, axils glabrous; racemes rigid, divaricate, 4-25 cm long, to 0.3 cm wide, 1-sided, rachis scabrous. Spikelets 3-5 mm long, distant from one another, rarely overlapping, 3-6 florets; pedicels to 2 mm long, appressed, scabrous. Glumes unequal, keel scabrous, lower 1-2 mm long, upper 2-3 mm long. Lemma 1-3 mm long, upper lemmas successively smaller, apex 2-toothed with a mucro to 1 mm long, 1-keeled, 3-nerved, lower half of nerves pilose with hairs < 0.25 mm long. Palea shorter than lemma, 2-keeled; keels ciliate.