|
1. |
Upper lemma obtusely rounded at apex and with distinct mucro; lower glume abaxial to spikelet bearing axis | 2 |
| Upper lemma obtuse to acute, usually muticous; lower glume adaxial to spikelet bearing axis | 5 | |
|
2. |
Lower glume c. 1/3 spikelet length | 3 |
| Lower glume at least 1/2 spikelet length | 4 | |
| 3. | Spikelets glabrous | *U. panicoides var. panicoides (NSW SA WA QLD) |
| Spikelets pubescent | *U. panicoides var pubescens (QLD) | |
| 4. | Lower glume 5-7-nerved |
*U. oligotricha (QLD) U. bulbodes |
| Lower glume 3-nerved, rarely sub-5-nerved |
*U. mosambicensis (NSW NT WA QLD) U. rhodesiensis, U. pullulans |
| 5. | Inflorescence ± open or with spikelets in several untidy rows; lower racemes sometimes branching | 6 |
| Inflorescence strictly regular and racemose with spikelets in two regular rows; lower racemes never branching | 11 | |
| 6. | Plant with robust ascending culms 2-6 m tall, with stolons |
*U. mutica (NSW NT WA QLD) Brachiaria mutica |
| Plant with slender culms 1 m tall, without stolons | 7 | |
| 7. | Spikelets c. 6 mm long |
U. foliosa (NSW QLD) Brachiaria foliosa |
| Spikelets less than 6 mm long | 8 | |
| 8. | Spikelets c. 2 mm long |
U. reptans (NT WA QLD) Brachiaria reptans |
| Spikelets 3-4 mm long | 9 | |
| 9. | Glumes and lower lemma with cross veins |
*U. fusca (NSW QLD) Brachiaria fasciculata var. reticulata |
| Glumes and lower lemma without cross veins | 10 | |
| 10. | Spikelets hairy, 3.5-4.6 mm long; rachilla pronounced between glumes |
U. pubigera (NT WA QLD) Brachiaria ramosa var. grandiflora, Brachiaria pubigera |
| Spikelets glabrous, 2.8-3.5 mm long; rachilla not pronounced between glumes |
U. praetervisa (NSW NT SA WA QLD) Brachiaria windersii, Brachiaria reptans |
|
| 11. | Spikelets up to 3 mm long | 12 |
| Spikelets more than 3 mm long | 14 | |
| 12. | Ligule a fringed membrane | U. distachya (NT QLD) |
| Ligule a fringe of hairs | 13 | |
| 13. | Spikelets glabrous, not turgid |
U. kurzii (WA QLD) Brachiaria kurzii |
| Spikelets sparsely hairy, ± turgid | U. ramosa (NT WA QLD) | |
| 14. | Strong perennials | 15 |
| Annuals or weak perennials | 17 | |
| 15. | Lower glume 3/4 to as long as spikelet | *U. humidicola (QLD) |
| Lower glume 1/3-1/2 as long as spikelet | 16 | |
| 16. | Rachis c. 2 mm wide, flattened; spikelets ± hairy |
*U. decumbens (NT WA QLD) Brachiaria decumbens |
| Rachis c. 0.75 mm wide, flattened to convex; spikelets glabrous |
*U. brizantha (QLD) Brachiaria brizantha |
|
| 17. | Lower glume 1/8-1/6 spikelet length | 18 |
| Lower glume 1/3-1/2 spikelet length | 21 | |
| 18. | Spikelets 3-4 mm long | 19 |
| Spikelets 4-5 mm long | 20 | |
| 19. | Spikelets glabrous |
U. occidentalis var. occidentalis (WA) Brachiaria gilesii subsp. occidentalis |
| Spikelets hairy | U. occidentalis var. ciliata (WA) | |
| 20. | Spikelets hairy |
U. gilesii var. gilesii (NSW NT SA QLD) Brachiaria gilesii subsp. gilesii |
| Spikelets glabrous |
U. gilesii var. notochthona (NSW NT SA QLD) Brachiaria notochthona |
|
| 21. | Spikelets hairy | 22 |
| Spikelets glabrous | 29 | |
| 22. | Spikelets with a subapical fringe of silky hairs | 23 |
| Spikelets evenly hairy or if with longer apical hairs these are not arranged in a fringe | 25 | |
| 23. | Hairs of subapical fringe ± the same length; lower lemma not drawn out to an apical point |
U. argentea (NT) Brachiaria argentea |
| Hairs of apical fringe of varying lengths; lower lemma drawn out to an apical point | 24 | |
| 24. | Leaf blades not velutinous |
U. holosericea subsp. holosericea (NT WA QLD) Brachiaria holosericea subsp. holosericea |
| Leaf blades velutinous |
U. holosericea subsp. velutina (NT WA QLD) Brachiaria holosericea subsp. velutina |
|
| 25. | Hairs increasing in length towards spikelet apex |
U. piligera (NSW NT SA WA QLD) Brachiaria. piligera var. intercedens, Brachiaria piligera |
| Hairs evenly distributed on spikelet | 26 | |
| 26. | Spikelets more than 3.6 mm long | 27 |
| Spikelets less than 3.5 mm long | 28 | |
| 27. | Spikelets 3.6-4.5 mm long; lower floret sterile | U. atrisola (NT QLD) |
| Spikelets 4.7-6 mm long; lower floret male |
*U. texana (NSW QLD) Brachiaria texana |
|
| 28. | Pedicels without long white bristly hairs |
U. whiteana (QLD) Brachiaria whiteana |
| Pedicels with long whitebristly hairs |
*U. advena (NSW QLD) Brachiaria advena |
|
| 29. | Spikelets reddish; leaf margins serrate |
U. polyphylla (NT QLD) Brachiaria polyphylla |
| Spikelets green to yellow |
*U. subquadripara (NSW NT SA WA QLD) Brachiaria miliiformis, B. subquadripara |
Taxonomic name: