POACEAE  

Perennial, tufted. Leaf blade expanded; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a narrow panicle, branches arranged in rather remote whorls; spikelets pedicelled. Spikelet 7-11 mm long, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes, florets falling together; glumes unequal, shorter to +/- as long as spikelet, similar, shining, awnless; lower glume 1-nerved; upper glume 3-nerved. Florets 2(-rarely 5), with or without rachilla prolonged and rudimentary floret; lowest or lower florets usually male, rarely bisexual, 5-9-nerved, glabrous or hairy, stoutly awned from lower third of back, awn geniculate, longer than body of lemma; upper floret bisexual, lemma firmer in texture than glumes, 5-7-nerved, glabrous to hairy, rounded on back, entire or shortly 2-lobed, awned from middle or upper third of back, awn straight; callus short, hairy; palea shorter than corresponding lemma, shortly bidentate at apex, ciliate on keels. Lodicules 2, membranous. Stamens 3. Ovary ellipsoid, hairy; styles plumose. Caryopsis ellipsoid, hairy. x= 7 (polyploidy).

Annual or perennial, stoloniferous or rhizomatous, tufted to decumbent, sometimes aromatic. Leaf blade linear, expanded; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a narrow, spike-like panicle; spikelets solitary, sessile or pedicelled. Spikelet moderately laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes unequal, similar, membranous with hyaline margins, glabrous to hairy, awnless; lower glume 1-5-nerved; upper glume 3-nerved. Florets 3, lower 2 florets male or sterile with lower lemma(s) longer than uppermost lemma, membranous, hairy, 5-7-nerved, apex 2-lobed, lowest lemma with a short straight awn from above middle of back, second lemma awned from near base, awn geniculate; uppermost floret bisexual, lemma glabrous, awnless; palea without keels, usually 1-nerved. Lodicules 0. Stamens 2 or 3(rarely). Ovary glabrous; styles long, plumose. x= 5 (polyploidy).

Pedicelled spikelet more conspicuous than sessile spikelet, occasionally suppressed, male or barren, usually awnless. x= 5, 10 (high polyploidy).

Annual or perennial, tufted or decumbent. Leaf blade expanded or +/- convolute, linear to lanceolate, glabrous or hairy with tubercle-based hairs; ligule a fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence of spike-like, 1-sided racemes, digitate or subdigitate, usually on a short central axis; spikelets 2- or 3-nate, rarely solitary or in clusters, unequally pedicelled. Spikelet falling with glumes, ovate to elliptic, dorsiventrally compressed; glumes unequal; lower glume shorter than spikelet, membranous, acute to acuminate, pubescent, 3-5-nerved, usually awnless; upper glume equalling lemma, elliptic, sometimes with broad auricled flaps, membranous to chartaceous, 5-nerved, hairy on margins. Florets 2; lower floret male or sterile, lemma resembling upper glume but not hairy, indurated, 3-5-nerved; palea shorter than lemma, deeply 2-lobed with marginal flaps, awnless; upper floret bisexual, lemma similar in texture to glumes, membranous to chartaceous, margins flat and exposed on palea, covering most of palea, 5-nerved, long attenuate into an awn or mucro, awn straight; palea as long as lemma, 2-keeled. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous; styles plumose above. Caryopsis ellipsoid to oblong. x= 9 (polyploidy).

Annual or perennial, tufted or decumbent, often rooting at lower nodes, sometimes stoloniferous or rhizomatous. Leaf blade narrow, linear, expanded, rarely folded; ligule an unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a panicle, open or contracted, rarely spike-like, primary branches often fascicled on central axis; spikelets solitary, pedicelled. Spikelet up to +/- 5 mm long, laterally compressed, linear-lanceolate to oblong, small, often gaping, disarticulating above glumes, rachilla sometimes produced, rarely bearing rudiment of a second floret; glumes +/- equal, as long as to longer than spikelet, similar in form, membranous, acuminate or acute, 1-nerved, keeled, awnless to rarely awned. Floret 1, bisexual; lemma lanceolate or linear, less firm than glumes, thinly membranous to hyaline, hairy or glabrous, not keeled, 3-5-nerved, side nerves sometimes excurrent into mucros, awnless or awned from back below apex or from base, awn short, not extending beyond glumes; palea usually shorter than lemma, sometimes reduced or 0, 2-nerved or nerveless, thinly membranous, hyaline; callus small, glabrous or shortly pubescent with hairs up to half as long as lemma. Lodicules 2, lanceolate or oblong, hyaline. Stamens 3. Ovary ellipsoid; styles very short; stigma plumose. x= 7 (aneuploids, high polyploidy).