| 1. | Culms rigid and cane-like; lemmas to 4 mm long | 2 |
| Culms not rigid and cane-like; lemmas more than 4 mm long | 3 | |
| 2. | Lemma grabrous | A. ramosissima (NSW QLD) Stipa ramosissima |
| Lemma hairy | A. verticillata (NSW QLD) Stipa verticillata |
|
| 3. | Inflorescence branches plumose with fine hairs | 4 |
| Inflorescence branches glabrous, scabrous or pubescent | 5 | |
| 4. | Culms pubescent; panicle branch hairs c. 0.5 mm long | A. tuckeri (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa tuckeri |
| Culms glabrous; panicle branch hairs 1.5-2 mm long | A. elegantissima (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa elegantissima |
|
| 5. | Inflorescence reduced to 1-3 spikelets; leaf blades rudimentary (c. 1 mm long) |
A. muelleri (VIC SA) Stipa muelleri |
| Inflorescence with more than 8 spikelets; leaf blades longer than 20 mm |
6 | |
| 6. | Lemma with acute, hairy lobes 1.5-3 mm long | 7 |
| Lemma with lobes absent or to 0.8 mm long | 10 | |
| 7. | Ligule 0.1-1 mm long; mature lemma hairs fulvous | A. petraea (SA) Stipa petraea |
| Ligule 2.5-10 mm long; mature lemma hairs white to yellow | 8 | |
| 8. | Lower glume 10-12mm long; floret 6.5-8 mm long; awn 3-6 mm long | A. juncifolia (WA) Stipa juncifolia |
| Lower glume more than 12 mm long; floret more than 8 mm long | 9 | |
| 9. | Awn 2-4 cm long | A. stipoides (NSW VIC TAS SA) Stipa stipoides, Stipa teretifolia |
| Awn 5-8 cm long | A. geoffreyi (WA) | |
| 10. | Awn falcate, bristle curved | 11 |
| Awn bigeniculate or straight, bristle straight | 22 | |
| 11. | Inflorescence to 14 cm long, spike-like | A. pycnostachya (WA) Stipa pycnostachya |
| Inflorescence to 55 cm long, not spike-like | 12 | |
| 12. | Awn hairs 0.25-1.5 mm long | 13 |
| Awn hairs to 0.2 mm long, if present | 18 | |
| 13. | Lower glume 8-14 mm long; upper glume 6-12.5 mm long; floret 4-6.5 mm long | 14 |
| Lower glume 14-20 mm long; upper glume 11.5-18 mm long; floret 7-8 mm long | 17 | |
| 14. | Leaf blade 2-6 mm wide, flat or inrolled | 15 |
| Leaf blade 0.3-0.6 mm diameter, inrolled | 16 | |
| 15. | Leaves pungent; panicle contracted | A. pilata (VIC SA) Stipa pilata |
| Leaves acute; panicle expanded | A. drummondii (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa drummondii |
|
| 16. | Awn column to 10 mm long; glumes unequal | A. trichophylla (NSW VIC NT SA WA) Stipa trichophylla |
| Awn column 11-14 mm long; glumes subequal | A. variabilis (SA WA) Stipa variabilis |
|
| 17. | Auricles glabrous or shortly hairy | A. blakei (QLD) Stipa blakei |
| Auricles hirsute with long white hairs | A. tenuifolia (QLD) Stipa eriopus, S. leptophylla, S.tenuifolia |
|
| 18. | Leaves very fine | 19 |
| Leaves coarse | 21 | |
| 19. | Leaf blades and sheaths pilose with spreading hairs | A. trichophylla (NSW VIC NT SA WA) Stipa trichophylla |
| Leaf blades and sheaths glabrous or with short hairs | 20 | |
| 20. | Inflorescence narrow; ligules 0.6-1 mm long | A. scabra subsp. scabra (NSW VIC TAS NT SA WA QLD) Stipa scabra subsp. scabra |
| Inflorescence spreading; ligules 0.3-0.6 mm long | A. scabra subsp. falcata (NSW VIC TAS NT SA WA QLD) Stipa falcata, Stipa scabra subsp. falcata |
|
| 21. | Inflorescence contracted, usually dense | A. nitida (NSW VIC NT SA WA QLD) Stipa nitida |
| Inflorescence spreading, usually sparse | A. nodosa (NSW VIC TAS SA QLD) Stipa effusa, Stipa nodosa |
|
| 22. | Lemma with an apical coma of hairs | 23 |
| Lemma without a coma of hairs | 48 | |
| 23. | Lemma glabrous or almost so with shining surface | 24 |
| Lemma hairy with granular surface | 26 | |
| 24. | Lower glume 19-26 mm long | A. lanata (SA WA) Stipa lanata |
| Lower glume to 18 mm long | 25 | |
| 25. | Lower glume 14-18 mm long; awn 8-12.5 cm long | A. vickeryana (SA WA) Stipa vickeryana |
| Lower glume 9-11 mm long; awn 5-7 cm long | A. nullanulla (NSW VIC SA) Stipa nullanulla |
|
| 26. | Glumes very broad, inflated around floret; callus short and strongly hooked | 27 |
| Glumes narrow, close around floret; callus fine and straight | 34 | |
| 27. | Ligule to 2 mm long; palea convex on upper surface or slightly depressed | 28 |
| Ligule 2-8 mm long; palea with groove on upper surface | 33 | |
| 28. | Coma 2-5 mm long; lower leaves hairy | A. blackii (NSW VIC TAS SA WA) Stipa clelandii, S. blackii |
| Coma to 2 mm long; lower leaves glabrous or scabrous | 29 | |
| 29. | Column with hairs 0.5-1.5 mm long; awn 30-40 mm long | A. dongicola (WA) Stipa dongicola |
| Column scabrous or with hairs less than 0.5 mm long | 30 | |
| 30. | Column hairs 0.25-0.5 mm long | A. curticoma (VIC SA) Stipa curticoma |
| Column hairs to 0.2 mm long | 31 | |
| 31. | Mature floret fusiform; callus very short in relation to floret length; ligule 0.8-1.5 mm long |
A. aristiglumis (NSW VIC QLD) Stipa. fusiformis, S.aristiglumis |
| Mature floret oblong-cylindrical; callus long in relation to floret length; ligule 0.3-0.5 mm long |
32 | |
| 32. | Floret 6-9.5 mm long; coma 1.4-2 mm long | A. bigeniculata (NSW VIC TAS) Stipa bigeniculata |
| Floret 4.5-6 mm long; coma 0.8-1.3 mm long | A. gibbosa (NSW VIC SA) Stipa gibbosa |
|
| 33. | Floret 3-4.5 mm long; awn 12-18 mm long | A. feresetacea (NSW VIC TAS) Stipa feresetacea |
| Floret 5.5-7 mm long; awn 25-40 mm long | A. setacea (NSW VIC SA QLD) Stipa brachystephana, S.setacea |
|
| 34. | Coma to 1.5 mm long | 35 |
| Coma 2-3.5 mm long | 45 | |
| 35. | Leaf blades pungent; awn 90-110 mm long | A. echinata (NSW VIC TAS) Stipa echinata |
| Leaf blades not pungent; awn 23-90(-110) mm long | 36 | |
| 36. | Awn plumose with hairs 0.5-1 mm long | A. plumigera (SA WA) Stipa plumigera |
| Awn scabrous or with hairs to 0.3 mm long | 37 | |
| 37. | Hairs at lemma apex shorter than those at base | 38 |
| Hairs evenly developed throughout lemma | 39 | |
| 38. | Lower glume 8-12 mm long; column with hairs 0.05-0.1 mm long | A. puberula (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa arachnopus, S.puberula |
| Lower glume 15-25 mm long; column with hairs 0.2-0.4 mm long | A. eremophila (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa eremophila |
|
| 39. | Foliage velvety | A. velutina (SA WA) Stipa velutina |
| Foliage pubescent or hirsute | 40 | |
| 40. | Inflorescecence not exserted above basal leaves | A. centralis (SA WA) Stipa centralis |
| Inflorescecence exserted well above basal leaves | 41 | |
| 41. | Awn column villous; leaf sheaths hirsute or pubescent; inflorescence 20-35 cm long |
A. stuposa (SA WA) Stipa stuposa |
|
Awn column scabrous, pubescent or villous; if villous then leaf sheathsscabrous or pubescent and inflorescence to 12 cm long |
42 | |
| 42. | Culms slender, to 1 mm wide near base | 43 |
| Culms sturdy, 1.5-4 mm wide near base | 44 | |
| 43. | Lower glume 8-10 mm long | A. exilis (VIC SA WA) Stipa exilis |
| Lower glume 12-17 mm long | A. mundula (VIC SA) Stipa mundula |
|
| 44. | Callus 0.5-1.2 mm long; awn 25-40 mm long | A. multispiculis (SA) Stipa multispiculis |
| Callus 1.6-3 mm long; awn 35-65 mm long | A. flavescens (NSW VIC TAS SA WA) Stipa aphanoneura, S. compacta, S.elatior, S. hirsuta, S. tenuiglumis, S. flavescens |
|
| 45. | Column hairs 0.5-1 mm long | A. stuposa (SA WA) Stipa stuposa |
| Column scabrous or with hairs to 0.3 mm long | 46 | |
| 46. | Column 7-12 mm long; coma spreading | A. crinita (WA) Stipa crinita |
| Column 15-25 mm long; coma appressed | 47 | |
| 47. | Lower glume 11-15 mm long; lemma 5.5-6.5 mm long | A. wakoolica (NSW) Stipa wakoolica |
| Lower glume 16-20 mm long; lemma 7-8.2 mm long | A. metatoris (NSW SA) Stipa metatoris |
|
| 48. | Column scabrous or with hairs to 0.3 mm long | 49 |
| Column with hairs more than 0.3 mm long | 64 | |
| 49. | Ligule less than 3 mm long | 50 |
| Ligule more than 3 mm long | 62 | |
| 50. | Lemma glabrous in some parts | 51 |
| Lemma hairy all over | 58 | |
| 51. | Lemma scabrous except on nerves | A. oligostachya (VIC SA) Stipa oligostachya |
| Lemma with hairs not restricted to nerves | 52 | |
| 52. | Spikelets 8-12 per panicle; column 55-70 mm long | A. nivicola (NSW VIC) Stipa nivicola |
| Spikelets more than 12 per panicle; column less than 55 mm long | 53 | |
| 53. | Glumes acuminate or dentata; leaves deciduous before flowering | A. aphylla (TAS) Stipa aphylla |
| Glumes truncate, acute or obtuse; leaves not deciduous; leaves deciduous | 54 | |
| 54. | Lower glume to 15 mm long | 55 (A. rudis) |
| Lower glume at least 17 mm long | 57 | |
| 55. | Awn 60-90mm long with column 32-45 mm long | A. rudis subsp. australis (NSW VIC TAS) Stipa rudis subsp. australis |
| Awn less than 60mm long with column to 25 mm long | 56 | |
| 56. | Column 20-25 mm long; callus 1.5-2.5 mm long | A. rudis subsp. rudis (NSW VIC QLD) Stipa nervosa var. neutralis, S. rudis subsp. rudis |
| Column less than 20 mm long; callus 0.8-1.7 mm long | A. rudis subsp. nervosa (NSW VIC TAS) Stipa nervosa var. nervosa, S. rudis subsp. nervosa |
|
| 57. | Lemma tuberculate at apex; palea 2/3 lemma length | A. pubescens (NSW VIC QLD) Stipa pubescens |
| Lemma granular; palea equal in length to lemma | A. pubinodis (NSW VIC TAS SA) Stipa pubinodis |
|
| 58. | Inflorescence not exserted above basal leaves, with less than 30 spikelets | A. centralis (NT) Stipa centralis |
| Inflorescence well exserted above basal leaves, with more than 30 spikelets | 59 | |
| 59. | Callus sharp; palea more than 2/3 lemma length | A. breviglumis (VIC SA) Stipa breviglumis |
| Callus blunt; palea c. 2/3 lemma length | 60 | |
| 60. | Lower glume 4-5.5 mm long; floret 3-4 mm long | A. nullarborensis (WA) Stipa nullarborensis |
| Lower glume 6-15 mm long; floret 4.5-6.5 mm long | 61 | |
| 61. | Column scabrous; bristle flattened | A. platychaeta (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa platychaeta |
| Column pubescent; bristle round-triangular | A. acrociliata (NSW VIS SA WA) Stipa acrociliata |
|
| 62. | Lemma to 6 mm long; bristle flattened | A. platychaeta (NSW VIC SA WA) Stipa platychaeta |
| Lemma at least 6.5 mm long; bristle terete-triangular in cross section |
63 | |
| 63. | Leaf sheaths hairy | A. macalpinei (VIC SA WA) Stipa lanceolata, S.macalpinei |
| Leaf sheaths glabrous or minutely scaberulous |
A. compressa (WA) Stipa compressa |
|
| 64. | Lemma glabrous except on nerves | A. oligostachya (VIC SA) Stipa oligostachya |
| Lemma hairy overall | 65 | |
| 65. | Panicle not exserted above basal leaves, with less than 30 spikelets |
A. centralis (NT) Stipa centralis |
| Panicle well exserted above basal leaves, with more than 30 spikelets |
66 | |
| 66. | Column hairs 1-4 mm long, mainly on ribs and spiralling with column |
67 |
| Column hairs 0.3-1 mm long, evenly distributed around column |
68 | |
| 67. | Upper glume 9-10 mm long; floret 3.5-5 mm long | A. aquarii (NT) Stipa aquarii |
| Upper glume 10-15 mm long; floret 5-7 mm long | A. hemipogon (VIC SA WA) Stipa indeprensa, S. nobilis, S.plagiopogon, S. hemipogon |
|
| Upper glume 15-20mm long; floret 7.5-8.5mm long | A. mollis (NSW VIC TAS SA WA) Stipa mollis |
|
| 68. | Awn 70-90 mm long; leaves scabrous or glabrous | A. semibarbata (NSW VIC TAS SA WA) Stipa semibarbata, S. semibarbata var. gracilis |
| Awn less than 60 mm long; leaves hairy | 69 | |
| 69. | Floret 8-9mm long; awn 50-70 mm long | A. campylachne (WA) Stipa campylachne |
| Floret 5.5-7 mm long; awn 35-45 mm long | A. densiflora (NSW VIC SA QLD) Stipa congesta, S. densiflora |
Key to Austrostipa derived from Vickery, Jacobs and Everett 1986 as Stipa,
Jacobs and Everett 1996
Taxonomic name: