Revision of Key to Genera from Wed, 2011-05-18 23:28

1.	Culms woody; leaves pseudopetiolate	2
	Culms usually herbaceous; if woody the leaves not pseudopetiolate	5

2.	Culms forming climbing vines	Mullerochloa
	Culms not forming climbing vines	3

3.	Auricles with bristles to 10 mm long	Neoleleba
	Auricles without bristles	4

4.	Culms cylindrical in cross section	Bambusa
	Culms with an internodal groove on alternate sides	*Phyllostachys

5.	Leaves spirally arranged	Micraira
	Leaves arranged in two rows	6

6.	Spikelets morphologically or functionally unisexual	7
	Spikelets bisexual	20

7.	Spikelets with 1 floret, or more than 2 florets	8
	Spikelets with 2 florets	12

8.	Spikelets with 1 floret; male and female spikelets on same plant	9
	Spikelets with more than 2 florets; male and female spikelets on different plants	10

9.	Lemma asymmetrical with a ±lateral orifice	Leptaspis
	Lemma pyriform with a terminal orifice	Scrotochloa

10. 11.	Short grasses with a compact raceme	Distichlis
	Tall reed-like grasses with a plumose panicle	11

	Leaf blades with only the midrib prominent and strongly sclerified	*Cortaderia
	Leaf blades with several wide strongly sclerified veins (including midrib)	*Austroderia

12.	Upper lemma membranous, thinner than glumes	13
	Upper lemma hardened, thicker than glumes	16

13.	Male and female spikelets in separate inflorescences	*Zea
	Male and female spikelets in different parts of the same inflorescence	14

14. 15.	Inflorescence consisting of a female spikelet enclosed in a rigid shell, from which a raceme of male spikelets emerges apically	Coix
	Inflorescence spike-like with female spikelets basal and male apical	15

	Internode broader than and ± enclosing female spikelet	Chionachne
	Internode narrower than and ± enclosed by female spikelet	*Tripsacum

16.	Plants monoecioeus, i.e. with male and female spikelets on the same plant	17
	Plants dioecious i.e. with male and female spikelets on different plants	18

17.	Inflorescence a simple raceme, with 1-2 female spikelets at the base, the upper spikelets male	Thuarea
	Inflorescence a spike-like panicle with racemes of female spikelets below and solitary male spikelets above	Hygrochloa

18.	Inflorescence a contracted, spike-like panicle, not spatheate	Pseudochaetochloa
	Inflorescences clustered together in dense, umbel-like spatheate heads	19

19.	Female heads with long stiff spines; inhabits coastal dunes	Spinifex
	Female inflorescences bracteate but not spiny; inhabits desert sand dunes	Zygochloa

20.	Spikelets with 1 to many florets, if 2-flowered both florets or lower one bisexual	21
	Spikelets 2-flowered, lower floret male or barren, upper bisexual or female	167

21.	Inflorescence a solitary bilateral spike or raceme; spikelets usually with the broad side facing the axis	22
	Inflorescence a panicle or a unilateral or multilateral spike or raceme, rarely a bilateral spike but then the spikelets edgewise on to the axis	38

22.	Lemmas 3-5-nerved, hyaline to membranous	23
	Lemmas 5-10-nerved, hardened at maturity	26

23.	Lemmas awned	*Psilurus
	Lemmas not awned	24

24.	Spikelets compressed laterally	*Parapholis
	Spikelets compressed dorsiventrally	25

25.	Lemmas with lateral nerves extending to the apex	Lepturus
	Lemmas with very short lateral nerves	*Hainardia

26.	Rachilla terminated by a fertile floret	Tetrarrhena
	Rachilla prolonged beyond the uppermost fertile floret	27

27.	Spikelets in groups of more than 2 at each rachis node	28
	Spikelets solitary at each rachis node	26

28.	Spikelet 4-5-flowered, in groups of 2-4 (-7)	*Leymus
	Spikelet 1-flowered, in groups of 2 or 3	30

29.	Spikelets in pairs at each rachis node	*Taeniatherum
	Spikelets in 3s at each rachis node	*Hordeum

30.	Annuals	31
	Perennials	34

31.	Glumes not keeled	Brachypodium
	Glumes strongly keeled	32

32.	Glumes subulate	*Secale
	Glumes not subulate	33

33.	Lemmas with nerves converging upwards	*Eremopyrum
	Lemmas with nerves not converging upwards	*Triticum

34.	Rachis fragile, smooth	*Thinopyrum
	Rachis tough, scabrous	35

35.	Plant with long creeping rhizomes	*Elytrigia
	Plant tufted, or with short rhizomes	36

36	Leaf blades ± flat; glumes ± scabrous on nerves	Anthosachne
	Leaf blades usually convolute or involute; glumes smooth	37

37.	Rachis internodes concave; glumes subacute to pointed	Australopyrum
	Rachis internodes nearly flat; glumes truncate	*Thinopyrum

38.	Fertile lemmas deeply or distinctly lobed	39
	Fertile lemmas entire, dentate or slightly lobed	42

39.	Spikelets 1-flowered	Amphipogon
	Spikelets 2-or more-flowered, rarely 1-flowered	40

40.	Lemmas 9-lobed	Enneapogon
	Lemmas 3-lobed	41

41.	Inflorescence a 1-sided raceme	Astrebla
	Inflorescence a panicle or spike	Triodia

42.	Leaf blades hard, woody, needle-like	Triodia
	Leaf blades not hard, woody, needle-like	43

43.	Leaf blades with transverse veins between main veins	44
	Leaf blades without transverse veins	45

44.	Glumes more or less equal; upper glume 7-nerved; lemmas awned	Lophatherum
	Glumes very unequal; upper glume 3-5-nerved; lemmas mucronate	Centotheca

45.	Tall reed-like plants	46
	Plants not tall and reed-like	47

46.	Lemmas hairy; rachilla not hairy	*Arundo
	Lemmas not hairy; rachilla hairy	Phragmites

47.	Spikelets with 2 or more bisexual florets or if only one, with rachilla extension or sterile florets (empty lemmas) above it	48
	Spikelets with 1 bisexual floret, with or without male or sterile florets (empty lemmas) below it	129

48.	Spikelets with 3 or more florets or with 1or 2 florets and a rachilla extended beyond the upper floret	49
	Spikelets with 2 florets, without a rachilla extension	122

49.	Inflorescence racemose or spicate, or digitate or non-digitate	50
	Inflorescence a panicle	76

50.	Inflorescence digitate or subdigitate	51
	Inflorescence racemose or spicate	62

51	Spikelet with at least 3 fertile florets	52
	Spikelet with 1 (rarely 2) fertile florets	55

52.	Axis of each inflorescence branch ending in a bristle; spikelet-bearing axis disarticulating	Dactyloctenium
	Axis of each inflorescence branch ending in a spikelet; spikelet-bearing axis not disarticulating	53

53.	Spikelets 2-5; lemma 5-7-nerved; leaves mostly basal, setaceous	Cyperochloa
	Spikelets many; lemma 3-nerved; leaves not basally aggregated or setaceous	54

54.	Lemmas mucronate to shortly awned; upper glume 1-nerved	Acrachne
	Lemmas muticous; upper glumes 3-7-nerved	*Eleusine

55.	Spikelet with 1 floret; lemmas unawned	56
	Spikelet with 2 or more florets; lemmas awned	57

56.	Glumes shorter than floret	Cynodon
	Glumes longer than floret	Brachyachne

57.	Lowest lemma dorsally compressed (lying on front or back when placed on a flat surface)	58
	Lowest lemma laterally compressed (lying on the side when placed on a flat surface)	59

58.	Glumes unequal, shorter than florets	Enteropogon
	Glumes subequal, longer than florets	Austrochloris

59.	Inflorescence with more than 40 branches	*Eustachys
	Inflorescence with less than 20 branches	60

60.	Awn of lowest lemma less than 2 mm long	x Cynochloris
	Awn of lowest lemma more than 3 mm long	61

61.	Lemmas very broad, wing-like	Oxychloris
	Lemmas not very broad, not wing-like	Chloris

62.	Spikelets unilateral (borne on one side of the inflorescence axis)	63
	Spikelets bilateral or multilateral (borne on opposite sides or all round the inflorescence axis)	70

63.	Spikelet with many fertile florets	64
	Spikelet with one fertile floret	66

64.	Lower glume 5-nerved; lemma 7-nerved	Tribolium
	Lower glume 1-nerved; lemma 1-3-nerved	65

65.	Lemma mucronate to shortly awned; spikelet rachilla and callus not hairy	Tripogon
	Lemma awnless; spikelet rachilla and callus hairy	Eragrostiella

66.	One glume only developed	67
	Both glumes well developed	68

67.	Spikelet with one floret; lemma 3-nerved	*Nardus
	Spikelet with many florets; lemma 3-nerved	*Lolium

68.	Spikelets falling entire; spikelets 6-18 mm long	*Spartina
	Spikelets fragmenting above glumes; spikelets less than 5.5 mm long	69

69.	Spikelets shortly pedicellate	*Mibora
	Spikelets sessile	Microchloa

70.	Spikelets disarticulating above glumes; rachilla extending beyond upper floret	71
	Spikelets falling with glumes; rachilla terminated by a floret	73

71.	Spikelets sessile, partially embedded in the rachis	*Gaudinia
	Spikelets pedicelled, not embedded in the rachis	72

72.	Lemmas awned; glumes not keeled	*Vulpia
	Lemmas awnless; glumes keeled	*Catapodium

73.	Inflorescence a true spike; spikelets sessile, sunken in hollows along the axis	*Pholiurus
	Inflorescence a spike-like raceme or spike-like panicle; spikelets at least shortly pedicellate and not sunken in hollows	74

74.	Spikelets burr-like with hooked spines	Tragus
	Spikelets not burr-like	75

75.	Glume 1	Zoysia
	Glumes 2	Perotis

76.	Glumes usually shorter than lowest floret and with the upper florets distinctly exserted; lemmas awnless or with a straight or curved awn from an entire or bifid apex, or several-awned or lobed	77
	Glumes (or the longer one) at least as long as or longer than the lowest floret, often as long as the spikelet and enclosing the florets; lemmas awnless or more often awned from the back or from the sinus of a 2-lobed tip, the awn usually geniculate, rarely the awn straight or curved from the tip	103

77.	Lemmas 1-3-nerved	78
	Lemmas 5-many nerved	87

78.	Lemmas 3-awned	Triraphis
	Lemmas 1-awned or without awns	79

79.	Lemmas notched, toothed or lobed	80
	Lemmas entire	82

80.	Glumes longer than lemmas, awned	*Dinebra
	Glumes shorter than or equal to lemmas, not awned	81

81.	Spikelets borne in leaf-sheath axils	Psammagrostis
	Spikelets not borne in leaf-sheath axils	Leptochloa

82.	Lemmas awned	83
	Lemmas not awned	84

83.	Spikelets in globose clusters; palea winged	Elytrophorus
	Spikelets in dense to loose panicles; palea not winged	Ectrosia

84.	Lemmas with winged keels	Heterachne
	Lemmas without winged keels	85

85.	Ligule membranous	*Sphenopus
	Ligule a fringe of hairs	86

86.	Lemmas 1-nerved	Thellungia
	Lemmas 3-nerved	Eragrostis

87.	Ovary hairy at apex	88
	Ovary glabrous at apex	90

88.	Leaf sheath margins joined	*Bromus
	Leaf sheath margins free	89

89.	Leaf blades 7-24 mm wide; lemmas bilobed	Dryopoa
	Leaf blades 2-3 mm wide; lemmas 3-lobed	Notochloë

90.	Spikelets dimorphous, with bisexual spikelets surrounded by sterile ones	91
	Spikelets not dimorphous	92

91.	Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes; spikelet-bearing axes persistent	*Cynosurus
	Spikelets disarticulating with the glumes; spikelet bearing axes disarticulating	*Lamarckia

92.	Inflorescence a contracted panicle or a panicle of racemes	93
	Inflorescence an open panicle	97

93.	Glumes more or less equal	94
	Glumes very unequal	96

94.	Glumes not keeled	*Melica
	Glumes keeled	95

95.	Leaf blades up to 3 mm long and basal, if present	Spartochloa
	Leaf blades well developed and not mainly basal	*Catapodium

96.	Glumes very dissimilar; lemmas awned	*Vulpia
	Glumes similar; lemmas awnless	*Sclerochloa

97.	Spikelets almost as wide as long	*Briza
	Spikelets up to half as wide as long	98

98.	Lemmas ± rounded or flattened on back, at least below	99
	Lemmas keeled throughout	100

99.	Lemmas 7-9-nerved; leaf sheath margins joined	Glyceria
	Lemmas 5-nerved; leaf sheath margins free	Puccinellia

100.	Leaves not basally aggregated; lemmas firmer than glumes, awned	101
	Leaves mostly basal; lemmas similar in texture to glumes, awnless	102

101.	Lemmas keeled; palea thinner than lemma	*Dactylis
	Lemmas not keeled; palea with similar texture to lemma	*Festuca

102	Glumes as long the spikelet or lemmas mucronate; relative to the adjacent lemmas; rachilla hairy	Hookerochloa
	Glumes much shorter than the adjacent lemmas; lemmas muticous; rachilla hairless	Poa

103.	Ligule membranous	104
	Ligule a fringe of hairs, ciliate membrane or ciliate at margins	113

104.	Lemmas 3-nerved	*Avellinia
	Lemmas 5-9-nerved	105

105.	Lower floret male	*Arrhenatherum
	Lower floret bisexual	106

106	Glumes more than 14 mm long	*Avena
	Glumes less than 10 mm long	107

107.	Annuals	108
	Perennials	110

108. 109.	Panicle spicate	*Rostraria
	Panicle open	109

	Awn witha ring of hairs at junction of column and limb	*Corynephorus
	Awn without a ring of hairs	*Aira

110.	Lemmas 4-pointed, or 2-lobed with each lobe 2-pointed	111
	Lemmas entire, 2-pointed or 2-lobed but not as above	112

111.	Glumes long relative to the adjacent lemmas; leaves mostly basal	Deschampsia
	Glumes shorter than the adjacent lemmas; leaves not basally aggregated	Amphibromus

112	Lemma awn 4-9 mm long, geniculate	Trisetum
	Lemma awnless or with a short awn to 0.7 mm long	*Koeleria

113.	Leaf sheaths of the lower leaves swollen and woolly or leaf blades hard, woody, needle-like	114
	Leaf sheaths of the lower leaves not swollen and woolly and leaf blades not hard, woody, needle-like	115

114.	Spikelets with 3-8 fertile florets; leaf sheaths of the lower leaves swollen and woolly	Monachather
	Spikelets with 1 fertile floret; leaf blades hard, woody, needle-like	Symplectrodia

115.	Lemmas awnless, sometimes mucronate	116
	Lemmas distinctly awned	120

116.	Lemmas entire, if mucronate, mucros apical	*Tribolium
	Lemmas bilobed; if mucronate, mucro is from an apical sinus	117

117.	Grain not longitudinally grooved	*Schismus
	Grain longitudinally grooved	118

118.	Lemma only hairy on the lower margins	*Danthonia
	Lemma ± evenly pubescent or in tufts	119

119.	Lemma ± evenly pubescent in lower half only/td>	Plinthanthesis
	Lemma with hairs over whole surface or in tufts	Rytidosperma

120	Hilum ± 1/2 length of grain	*Chionochloa
	Hilum up to 1/3 length of grain	121

121.	Lemma ± evenly pubescent in lower half only	Plinthanthesis
	Lemma with hairs over whole surface or in tufts	122

122	Hairs on the lemma in two untidy rows, most of lemma surface glabrous and shiny; leaves often disarticulating from sheath	Rytidosperma
	Hairs on the lemma forming a continuous indumentum, sometimes with tufts on the upper margin; leaves not disarticulating	123

123.	Lemmas either distinctly hairy or awned	124
	Lemmas neither distinctly hairy nor awned	128

124.	Upper glume twice length of lower glume	Pheidochloa
	Glumes ± equal in length	125

125.	Glumes (3-)5-11-nerved	Eriachne
	Glumes 1-3-nerved	126

126.	Bisexual florets 1 per spikelet	*Holcus
	Bisexual florets 2 per spikelet	127

127.	Lemma awn dorsal	Aira
	Lemma awn terminal	*Pentameris

128.	Both lemmas membranous, not hardened	*Periballia
	Lower lemma hardened	Coelachne

129.	Glumes absent or rudimentary	130
	Glumes well developed	132

130.	Spikelets 1-flowered	Leersia
	Spikelets 3-flowered, the lower two reduced to sterile lemmas	131

131.	Lemma and palea leathery to indurated	Oryza
	Lemma and palea membranous	Potamophila

132.	Spikelets with 3 florets, the lower two reduced to sterile or male and sometime minute lemmas	133
	Spikelets with 1 floret	137

133.	Both sterile lemma with a hinge-like appendage	*Ehrharta
	Neither sterile lemmas with an appendage	134

134.	Basal florets male	Hierochloë
	Basal florets sterile	135

135.	Glumes minute	Microlaena
	Glumes relatively large	136

136.	Sterile lemmas shorter than fertile floret; glumes winged	*Phalaris
	Sterile lemmas longer than fertile floret; glumes not winged	*Anthoxanthum

137.	Lemmas terete or dorsally compressed	138
	Lemmas laterally compressed	145

138. 139.	Lemma with a 3-branched awn (very rarely 1-branched)	139
	Lemma with a single undivided awn	140

	Awns glabrous	Aristida
	Awns plumose	*Stipagrostis

140.	Awn ± geniculate; spikelet base (callus) pointed, often long and pungent	141
	Awn ± straight; spikelet base (callus) short and blunt	144

141.	Lemma margins usually enclosing the palea; callus pungent; awn well developed and with a strongly-twisted column at maturity	142
	Lemma margins not completely enclosing the palea; callus blunt; awns not as robust as above and the column only weakly developed at maturity	143

142.	Hummock-forming perennial; awn almost circular in transverse section	Monodia
	Annuals or perennials, not usually hummock-forming; awn flattened in transverse section	Austrostipa

143.	Lemma apex and lower part of awn with hairs obscuring the base of the awn	Jarava
	Lemma apex glabrous or slightly hairy, the hairs not obscuring the base of the awn	Amelichloa

144.	Lemma smooth, with a deciduous awn	*Piptatherum
	Lemma strongly scabrous, with a more or less persistent awn	*Nassella

145.	Lemmas coriaceous to indurated	146
	Lemmas membranous to cartilaginous	151

146	Lemma awns non-geniculate	147
	Lemma awns geniculate	148

147.	Lemma with a 3-branched awn (very rarely 1-branched); spikelets with one floret	Aristida
	Lemma with a single awn; spikelets with 2 florets (very rarely 1)	Eriachne

148.	Lemma 1 awned and with an apical crown	149
	Lemma 3-5 awned and without an apical crown	150

149.	Awn at least 15 mm long; palea shorter than lemma, the lemma margins enclosing the palea	*Nassella
	Awn less than 10 mm long; palea slightly longer than lemma, the lemma margins exposing the palea	*Piptochaetium

150.	Lemma with 5 awns	Pentapogon
	Lemma with 3 awns	Anisopogon

151.	Glumes similar in texture to and shorter than lemmas; ligule hairy to some degree	152
	Glumes firmer in texture to and as long as or longer than lemmas; ligule an unfringed membrane	153

152.	Panicle spike-like, subtended by an inflated sheath	*Crypsis
	Panicle open to contracted, without an inflated sheath	Sporobolus

153.	Spikelets falling entire	154
	Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes	156

154.	Glumes blunt, ±united	*Alopecurus
	Glumes acute or awned, distinctly separate	155

155	Lemma 3-nerved	Garnotia
	Lemma 5-nerved	Polypogon

156.	Glumes swollen at base	*Gastridium
	Glumes not swollen at base	157

157.	Glumes silky-woolly, much longer than lemma	*Lagurus
	Glumes not silky-woolly, equal to or slightly longer than lemmas	158

158.	Spikelets at least 9mm long	*Ammophila
	Spikelets up to 7mm long	159

159.	Glumes terminating abruptly, shortly awned	160
	Glumes obtuse or acute, not or scarcely awned	161

160.	Lemmas awned; inflorescence a contracted panicle	*x Agropogon
	Lemmas not awned; inflorescence a tight spike-like panicle	*Phleum

161.	Glumes with regularly arranged hairs on keel	Echinopogon
	Glumes smooth to rough on keel, without hairs	162

162. 163.	Lemma awns more than twice as long as lemma	163
	Lemma awns, if present, less than twice as long as lemma	164

	Annuals	*Apera
	Perennials	Dichelachne

164.	Lemmas decidedly firmer than the glumes	Deyeuxia
	Lemmas less firm than the glumes	165

165.	Glumes at least 5.5mm long	*Calamagrostis
	Glumes less than 5mm long	166

166.	Inflorescence axis persistent; rachilla extension less than 20% of lemma length	Agrostis
	Inflorescence often detaching as a diaspore; rachilla extension 30-100% of lemma length	Lachnagrostis

167.	Spikelets breaking up above the glumes	168
	Spikelets falling entire, breaking below the glumes	169

168.	Glumes very unequal; spikelets compressed laterally	Arundinella
	Glumes ±equal; spikelets compressed dorsiventrally	Isachne

169. 170.	Spikelets often dissimilar and usually paired, with one sessile and the other pedicelled (occasionally both pedicelled, but unequally, or in 3's with 2 sessile and 1 pedicelled) or rarely with the pedicelled spikelet reduced to the pedicel; upper lemma of sessile spikelet usually geniculately awned; glumes firm in texture	170
	Spikelets all alike and usually solitary, rarely paired; upper lemma not geniculately awned; glumes usually membranous	206

	Spikelets similar in shape and size, development of awns and sex; if different pedicelled spikelets awnedand sessile unawned; pedicels and raceme joints slender	171
	Spiklets different in shape and size, development of awns and sex; if similar, pedicels and joints thickened	179

171.	Paired spikelets unequally pedicelled	172
	Paired spikelets with at least one sessile	174

172.	Spikelets awnless	Imperata
	Spikelets awned from apex of the upper lemma	173

173.	Inflorescence a panicle, the racemes at least 10 cm long	*Miscanthus
	Inflorescence of subdigitate racemes up to 7 cm long	Pseudopogonatherum

174.	Inflorescence a much branched panicle	Saccharum
	Inflorescence a solitary raceme, or a digitate or subdigitate cluster of racemes	175

175.	Spikelets in 3s, with 2 sessile and 1 pedicelled	Polytrias
	Spikelets in pairs (3s at apex), with 1 sessile and 1 pedicelled	176

176.	Sessile spikelets male; pedicelled spikelets female	Germania
	Sessile and pedicelled spikelets of the same sex	177

177.	Lower glume convex on back, not 2-keeled	Pogonatherum
	Lower glume flat or grooved on back, 2?keeled	178

178.	Tufted grass with silky hairs on racemes	Eulalia
	Creeping grass with no hairs on racemes	Microstegium

179.	Rachis joints and pedicels thick, ± contiguous or fused together, forming cavities into which the spikelets are sunk	180
	Rachis joints and pedicels slender, or if thickened upwards, not forming cavities	188

180.	Sessile spikelet awned	181
	Sessile spikelet awnless	183

181.	Pedicelled spikelets reduced to naked pedicels	Thelepogon
	Pedicelled spikelets developed	182

182.	Pedicels ± flat	Sehima
	Pedicels swollen	Ischaemum

183.	Lower glume of sessile spikelet 2-toothed	Elionurus
	Lower glume of sessile spikelet not 2-toothed	184

184.	Spikelets in opposite rows on axis	Ophiuros
	Spikelets on one side of axis	185

185.	Spikelets of each pair similar, both bisexual; rachis not fragmenting	Hemarthria
	Spikelets of each pair dissimilar, pedicelled male or sterile or spikelets borne singly; rachis fragmenting readily	186

186.	Lower floret of sessile spikelet male	Rottboellia
	Lower floret of sessile spikelet sterile	187

187.	Lower glume of sessile spikelet with a row of marginal spines	Eremochloa
	Lower glume of sessile spikelet without marginal spines	Mnesithea

188.	Inflorescence with spathes, spatheoles or spathe-like sheaths enclosing or subtending inflorescence	189
	Inflorescences espatheate	197

189.	Raceme 1 jointed, reduced to 3 spikelets	190
	Racemes with several joints, with more than 3 spikelets	191

190.	Racemes in tight clusters; lemmas mucronate or shortly awned	Apluda
	Racemes loose and pedunculate; lemmas with long awns	Clausospicula

191.	Fertile spikelets ±compressed, the lower glume distinctly 2-keeled for most of its length	192
	Fertile spikelets ±terete, the lower glume 2-keeled only at the tip if at all	195

192.	Lower part of awn as wide as the lemma from which it arises	Spathia
	Lower part of awn narrower than the lemma from which it arises	193

193.	Raceme bases terete	*Andropogon
	Raceme bases flattened	194

194.	Racemes paired; leaves aromatic	Cymbopogon
	Racemes solitary; leaves not aromatic	Schizachyrium

195.	Fertile spikelets not within an involucre of male or barren spikelets	Hyparrhenia
	Fertile spikelets within an involucre of male or barren spikelets	196

196.	Fertile spikelets falling with involucre or whole raceme falling as one unit; callus blunt	Iseilema
	Fertile spikelets falling separately from involucres; callus pungent	Themeda

197.	Rachis joints and pedicels with a translucent mid-line between thickened margins	198
	Rachis joints and pedicels without a translucent mid-line	199

198.	Inflorescence more than once-branched	Capillipedium
	Inflorescence an arrangement of racemes on a central axis	Bothriochloa

199.	Inflorescence of solitary, paired or subdigitate racemes	200
	Inflorescence a panicle	202

200.	Creeping plant with ovate leaves	Arthraxon
	Erect plant with linear leaves	201

201.	Fertile spikelet ±cylindrical in cross-section; callus pungent	Heteropogon
	Fertile spikelet ±compressed; callus not pungent	Dichanthium

202.	Spikelets laterally compressed	Chrysopogon
	Spikelets dorsally compressed or ±cylindrical	203

203.	Pedicelled spikelet reduced to pedicel; panicle axes not terminating in spikelets	*Sorghastrum
	Pedicelled spikelet developed, rarely reduced or suppressed but then panicle axes terminating in spikelets	204

204.	Pedicelled spikelets reduced to narrow, linear glumes; culm nodes glabrous or pubescent, not bearded	Vacoparis
	Pedicelled spikelets usually well developed, rarely greatly reduced or absent, but then culm nodes bearded with stiff hairs	205

205.	Lemma awns of sessile spikelet absent or 1-1.5cm long if present	Sorghum
	Lemma awns of sessile spikelet 2-9cm long	Sarga

206.	Inflorescence a spike or spike-like raceme or digitate pair of racemes; glumes as long as or longer than the florets	207
	Inflorescence otherwise or if a spike or raceme lower glume shorter than the florets	212

207.	Inflorescence of paired racemes (with rarely a third raceme)	Dimeria
	Inflorescence a single spike or raceme	208

208.	Inflorescence a spike	Thaumastochloa
	Inflorescence single raceme	209

209.	Spikelets with distinct bristles from confluent tubercles	Thyridolepis
	Spikelets with indistinct bristles from single tubercles, sometimes densely hairy	210

210. 211.	Plant shortly rhizomatous	Neurachne
	Plant stoloniferous	211

	Annuals	Thedachloa
	Perennials	Paraneurachne

212.	Spikelets with awns arising from between apical lobes of upper glume and lower lemma	*Melinis
	Spikelets awnless or with awn arising terminally from lemmas or glumes	213

213	Spikelets in bunches subtended by bracts	Xerochloa
	Spikelets not in bunches subtended by bracts	214

214.	Terminal spikelets opening normally; axillary spikelets cleistogamous	215
	All spikelets opening normally	217

215. 216.	Plants creeping	Calyptochloa
	Plants tufted and wiry	216

	Cleistogamous spikelets in the axils of some leaf sheaths	Cleistochloa
	Cleistogamous spikelets produced from a leafy axillary shoot	Dimorphochloa

217.	Fertile lemma densely silky hairy	Entolasia
	Fertile lemma not or indistinctly hairy	218

218.	Inflorescence with broad, flattened axis with spikelets on one or both sides	219
	Inflorescence otherwise	220

219.	Spikelets closely spaced on one side of inflorescence axis	Stenotaphrum
	Spikelets in distinct clusters on both sides of inflorescence axis	Uranthoecium

220.	Inflorescence branches ending in bristle-like appendages or spikelets subtended by bristles	221
	Inflorescence branches ending in spikelets which are not subtended by bristles	227

221.	Spikelets falling at maturity without any bristles or spines attached	222
	Spikelets falling at maturity with bristles or spines attached	225

222.	Spikelets subtended by solitary bristles or an involucre of bristles	Setaria
	Spikelets in racemes terminating in bristle-like appendages	223

223.	Lower palea with wings clasping margin of upper floret	Holcolemma
	Lower palea not winged, not clasping upper floret	224

224.	Upper lemma covered with wrinkles, as long as or longer than upper glume	Paspalidium
	Upper lemma smooth, shorter than upper glume	Pseudoraphis

225.	Spikelets completely surrounded by a ring of spines or bristles	Cenchrus
	Spikelets not surrounded by spines or bristles	226

226.	Lower glume up to 1/3 spikelet length	Chamaeraphis
	Lower glume more than 1/3 spikelet length	Paractaenum

227	Upper glume and lower lemma with hooked hairs	Ancistrachne
	Upper glume and lower lemma without hooked hairs	228

228. 229.	Spikelet with a bead-like swelling at base	Eriochloa
	Spikelet without a bead-like swelling at base	229

	Upper lemma with a shallow excavation and tuft of wool at the tip	*Lasiacis
	Upper lemma rarely excavated and then not woolly	230

230.	Fertile lemma less firm or similar in texture to glumes	231
	Fertile lemma decidedly firmer than the glumes	238

231.	Lower glume 2/3 spikelet length	232
	Lower glume to 1/2 spikelet length or absent	233

232.	Inflorescence branches stiff and spreading; palea notched with a central depression	Walwhalleya
	Inflorescence consisting of only a few spikelets, with branches not stiff and spreading; palea apex not notched	Alexfloydia

233.	Upper glume mucronate to shortly awned	Alloteropsis
	Upper glume obtuse to acuminate, not awned or mucronate	234

234.	Palea of upper floret not completely clasped by lemma	235
	Palea of upper floret completely clasped by lemma	236

235.	Spikelet laterally compressed	Dallwatsonia
	Spikelet dorsally compressed	Hymenachne

236.	Lower glume minute or absent; spikelet dorsally compressed	Digitaria
	Lower glume c. 1/3 spikelet length; spikelet terete or ±laterally compressed	237

237.	Lower glume minute or absent; spikelet dorsally compressed	Digitaria
	Spikelet terete or ± laterally compressed	Steinchisma

238.	Rachilla prominent between glumes and between florets	239
	Rachilla not prominent between glumes and between florets; fertile florets without appendage at base	242

239.	Rachilla swollen beneath fertile florets and usually with lateral appendages	240
	Rachilla not swollen beneath fertile florets and without lateral appendages	241

240.	Appendages fused to base of fertile floret; spikelets laterally compressed, shortly pedicelled	Ichnanthus
	Appendages, when present, free from base of fertile floret or absent; spikelets dorsally compressed, long pedicelled	Yakirra

241.	Articulations present at the bases of spikelets, pedicels and inflorescence branches; upper glume 11-nerved	Arthragrostis
	Articulations absent on pedicels and inflorescence branches; upper glume 5-7-nerved	Whiteochloa

242.	Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle branched more than once; spikelets not grouped along one side of ultimate branches	243
	Inflorescence once branched, the branches digitate or borne on elongated axis; spikelets grouped along one side of branches	250

243.	Glumes slightly unequal in length	244
	Glumes very unequal in length	246

244	Spikelets 4.5-6mm long, borne at the ends of long branches	Homopholis
	Spikelets 0.2-2 mm long, on short branches	245

245.	Upper glume 3-nerved; spikelets falling with glumes and compressed laterally	Cyrtococcum
	Upper glume 5-9-nerved; spikelets disarticulating above glumes and compressed dorsally	Isachne

246.	Inflorescence a spike-like panicle	Sacciolepis
	Inflorescence an open panicle	247

247. 248. 249.	Upper glumes somewhat shorter than spikelet	Ottochloa
	Upper glume as long as spikelet	248

	Fertile floret smooth and shiny	Panicum
	Fertile floret transversely rugose	249

	Culm base bulbous	*Zuloagaea
	Culm base not bulbous	*Megathyrsus

250.	Lower glume absent or represented by a minute scale	251
	Lower glume present	252

251.	Lower lemma adjacent to the inflorescence axis	*Axonopus
	Lower lemma positioned away from the inflorescence axis	Paspalum

252.	Spikelets awnless or mucronate	253
	Spikelets distinctly awned	254

253.	Upper lemma rugose and verrucose	Moorochloa
	Upper lemma smooth	Urochloa

254.	Glumes more or less equal and similar; decumbent grass of shaded habitats	Oplismenus
254.	Glumes very unequal and dissimilar; erect grass of wet habitats	Echinochloa

AusGrass2

Grasses of Australia

Revision of Key to Genera from Wed, 2011-05-18 23:28

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Revision of Key to Genera from Wed, 2011-05-18 23:28