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Key to Poaceae, Key D: rattail or cob grasses
Poaceae
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1 All spikelets unisexual, the pistillate and staminate spikelets either in separate inflorescences, or the pistillate spikelets below the staminate spikelets in the same inflorescence; leaves 9-120 mm wide; [tribe Andropogoneae].
2 Pistillate and staminate spikelets in separate inflorescences, the pistillate inflorescences axillary, staminate inflorescences terminal
4 Culms 2-45 cm tall; leaves 1-6 mm wide; plants annual (perennial in Eremochloa and Stenotaphrum).
5 Plants obviously and prominently rhizomatous (Eremochloa) or stoloniferous (Stenotaphrum); lower glume with pectinate margins (Eremochloa) or irregularly toothed (Stenotaphrum)
6 Plant rhizomatous; lower glume with pectinate margins; [commonly naturalized turf grass and roadside weed]; [tribe Andropogoneae]
6 Plant stoloniferous; lower glume irregularly toothed; [naturalized turf grass and allegedly also native]; [tribe Paniceae]
5 Plants annual; lower glume with smooth and cartilaginous margins (or absent); [rare waifs]; [tribe Poeae].
4 Culms 30-400 cm tall; leaves 2-25 mm wide; plants annual or perennial; [tribe Andropogoneae].
Key to Poaceae, Key F: grasses of tribe Paniceae (also including grasses keyed as well in Keys B, C, D, and H)
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4 Inflorescences of spikelike branches 1-3.7 cm long, the branch extending 2.5-4 mm beyond the attachment of the distal spikelets
4 Inflorescences not as above.
11 Subterranean (cleistogamous) inflorescences present; aerial inflorescences with elongate rachises; spikelets of the aerial inflorescences often sterile; spikelets glabrous; leaves either with a white cartilaginous margin or prominently ciliate; [of the Coastal Plain]
11 Subterranean inflorescences absent; aerial inflorescences either with digitate or subdigitate branches and glabrous spikelets, or with elongate rachises and conspicuously pubescent spikelets; spikelets of the aerial inflorescences fertile; spikelets glabrous, ciliate, or pubescent; leaves various (often not as above); [collectively widespread]
16 Inflorescence of 1-sided, spikelike primary branches.
16 Inflorescence either paniculate with well-developed secondary branchlets or if the primary branches spikelike, then the spikelets not borne in a 1-sided arrangement on the spicate branches.
21 Inflorescences open panicles, or if narrowed, all or nearly all the panicle branches readily visible.
23 Plant developing a terminal (“spring”) inflorescence usually before mid-summer, followed by lateral (“autumnal”) inflorescences from lower, mid, and/or upper nodes, these often included or hidden among the fascicles of smaller “autumnal” leaves; often developing a rosette of overwintering basal leaves
23 Plant developing a terminal inflorescence usually after mid-summer, the lateral inflorescences, when present, from the upper nodes, usually appearing at the same time as the terminal panicle, and not hidden by dense fascicles of smaller leaves; plants lacking a rosette of overwintering basal leaves.
25 Panicle < 2 cm wide at maturity.
28 Panicles > 1 cm wide; spikelets short to long-pedicelled; summit of fertile palea enclosed by fertile lemma
25 Panicle > 2 cm wide at maturity.