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Support the Flora of the Southeastern US

2024 has been a banner year for making the best flora we can imagine. We've created:
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Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.

Key to Poaceae, Key B: robust herbaceous grasses

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1 Inflorescence an array of spikes, the spikelets closely imbricate in 2 rows along the rachis of the spikes, the spikes alternate along the primary inflorescence axis; [tribe Zoysieae; subtribe Sporobolinae]
1 Inflorescence otherwise, either the spikelets embedded or in grooves in an thickened rachis, or the inflorescence a slender or broad panicle.
  2 Spikelets embedded in the thickened rachis (the inflorescence thus like an ear of corn), or fitting into grooves in the thickened rachis (the inflorescence thus cylindrical and resembling a rat's tail). Spikelets unisexual, with male and female spikelets in separate inflorescences or in different parts of the same inflorescence; [tribe Andropogoneae].
    3 Racemes of mixed sex (female below, male above)
    3 Racemes of single sex
 Zea
  2 Spikelets not embedded or fitting into grooves in the rachis, the inflorescence a slender or broad panicle (the spikelets visibly separate and often pedicelled).
      4 Spikelets with a single floret, this unisexual (either pistillate or staminate); plants with aerenchymatous culms, [plants of seasonally or tidally flooded wetlands]; [tribe Oryzeae].
        5 Pistillate spikelets on the upper branches of the panicle, staminate spikelets on the lower branches; lemmas and paleas clasping along their margins; plants annual
        5 Pistillate and staminate spikelets intermingled on the same branches of the inflorescence; lemma margins free; plants perennial
      4 Spikelets with 2 or more florets, at least some of these bisexual; plants without aerenchymatous culms, [plants of uplands or temporarily to seasonally flooded wetlands].
          6 Spikelets with 2-8 florets, these bisexual.
             7 Leaves primarily basal, plants densely cespitose.
               8 ; [tribe Arundineae
               8 Panicles plumose; [tribe Danthonieae]
             7 Leaves cauline; plants short-rhizomatous (somewhat clumped) to long-rhizomatous; [tribe Arundineae].
                 9 Lemmas pilose; rachilla glabrous; plants short-rhizomatous (somewhat clumped); culms to 10 m tall; [plants of uplands or saturated or temporarily flooded wetlands]
                 9 Lemmas glabrous; rachilla sericeous; plants long rhizomatous; culms to 4 m tall; [plants of uplands or saturated, tidally flooded, or seasonally flooded wetlands]
          6 Spikelets almost always with 2 florets, the lower florets sterile or staminate (sometimes reduced to lemmas or completely absent).
                   10 Spikelets falling separately, not attached to rachis segments, stalks, or bristles; spikelets <2× as long as wide; [tribe Paniceae].
                     11 Spikelets (at least the terminal) subtended by 1-many stiff, terete bristles
                     11 Spikelets not subtended by stiff bristles.
                       12 Fertile lemma rugose with cross-venation
                       12 Fertile lemma smooth or hairy, not rugose
                   10 Spikelets falling with attached rachis segments, stalks, or bristles; spikelets >3× as long as wide; [tribe Andropogoneae].
                          13 Pedicelled spikelet differing from the sessile in shape and sex (sometimes represented only by a pedicel).
                            14 Inflorescence of 2-13 digitate (whorled) racemes borne at the summit of a peduncle, the peduncle subtended by a raceme sheath
                            14 Inflorescence a panicle, the branches not subtended by sheaths.
                              15 Pedicelled spikelet represented by pedicel only; apex of sheath bearing 2 auricles 1-10 mm long; [native]
                              15 Pedicelled spikelet present, staminate; apex of sheath truncate; [exotic]
                          13 Pedicelled spikelet similar to the sessile spikelet, both fertile.
                                16 Spikelets falling separately from the persistent rachis
                                16 Spikelets falling in pairs together with sections of the disarticulating rachis
                                  17 Spikelets awned with awns 10-26 mm long; anthers 2; [native, collectively common and widespread]
                                  17 Spikelets unawned or with awns to 5.2 mm long; anthers 3; [exotic, rarely encountered]
                                    18 Spikelets unawned
                                    18 Spikelets with awns 4-5.2 mm long