| 1. | Lower glume a membrane to 0.5 mm long | *E. meyeriana (QLD) |
| Lower glume reduced to a cup-like ring at spikelet base | 2 | |
| 2. | Spikelets with apices drawn out into bristles | 3 |
| Spikelets with apices acute to acuminate | 5 | |
| 3. | Spikelets 9.5-14 mm long (including bristle) | E. longiflora (NSW NT SA QLD) |
| Spikelets less than 9 mm long | 4 | |
| 4. | Spikelets 6-9.4 mm long; annual | E. australiensis (NSW NT SA WA QLD) |
| Spikelets 4-6 mm long; usually perennial | E. pseudoacrotricha (NSW VIC NT SA WA QLD) | |
| 5. | Spikelets lightly overlapping on racemes, 3.7-5 mm long | E. crebra (NSW NT SA QLD) |
| Spikelets ±loose on racemes, 3-3.7 mm long | 6 | |
| 6. | Slender perennial | E. procera (NSW NT WA QLD) |
| Decumbent annual |
E. fatmensis (NT WA QLD) E. decumbens |
Key to Eriochloa derived from Vickery 1961; Webster 1987
Taxonomic name: