| 1. | Inflorescence racemose; spikelets on pedicels up to 6mm long | 2 |
| Inflorescence paniculate; spikelets on pedicels up to 30mm long | 4 | |
| 2. | Spikelets hairy on at least upper glume | W. semitonsa (NT QLD) |
| Spikelets glabrous | 3 | |
| 3. | Perennial | W. airoides (NT WA QLD) Panicum airoides |
| Annual | W. cymbiformis (NT WA) Panicum cymbiforme |
|
| 4. | Spikelets glabrous | W. capillipes (NT WA QLD) Panicum capillipes |
| Spikelets hairy | 5 | |
| 5. | Upper glume 5-nerved; lower glume c. 1.5mm long | W. biciliata (WA) |
| Upper glume 7-nerved; lower glume c. 1mm long | W. multiciliata (NT) |
Key to Whiteochloa derived from Lazarides 1978; Webster 1987
Taxonomic name: