SUMMARY |
CHARACTERISTICS OF ALL PRINCIPAL GROUPS |
CLICK ON LINKS TO FIND THE GENUS/SPECIES |
Group 1 |
Single terminal spike, with spikelets having little or no stalk |
37 species in our area: Cynosurus, Hordeum, Hordelymus, Gaudinia, Psilurus, Nardus, Mibora, Brachypodium, Vulpia, Micropyrum, Lolium, Elytrigia, Aegilops (Triticum), Elymus |
Group 2 |
2 or more spikes from main axis: with spikelets having little or no stalk |
4 species in our area: Echinochloa, Digitaria, Cynodon, Bothriochloa |
Group 3 |
Compact panicle forming a single spike: cylindrical, oval or sphericalThe pedicel (stalk under each spikelet) is not initially easy to see |
27 species in our area: Echinaria, Phalaris, (Cynosurus—see group 1), Tragus, Setaria, Sesleria, Rostraria, Koeleria, Dactylis, Anthoxsanthum, Polypogon, Gastridium, Phleum, Alopecurus, |
Group 4a |
Loose panicle, fertile spikelets mixed with sterile or male spikelets: Terminal axes articulated and fragile at maturityNo follow-on; single species in groupSorghum halepense |
Single species in our area: Sorghum halepense |
Group 4 |
Loose panicle, one fertile (hermaphrodite) floret, other florets sterile or male i.e. 3+ glumelles (sometimes reduced to scales): |
10 species in our area: Arrhenatherum, Panicum, Melica, Holcus |
Group 5 |
Loose panicle, one fertile (hermaphrodite) floret no other sterile i.e only 1-2 glumelles developed |
16 species in our area: Stipa, Calamagrostis, Agrostis, Piptatherum (incl. Oloptum), Achnatherum, Sporobolus, Milium |
Group 6a |
Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, each surrounded by long white hairs, giving a silky panicle:No follow-on; single species in groupPhragmites australis |
Single species in our area: Phragmites australis |
Group 6 |
Loose panicle, 2+ (fertile) hermaphrodite florets, hairy ligule: spikelets almost always without awns: | 11 species in our area Danthonia, Eragrostis, Molinia, Kengia |
Group 7 |
Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, dorsal awn. Very long glumes |
16 species in our area Avena, Helictochloa (=Avenula), Avenula, Corynephorus, Aira, Deschampsia, Trisetum |
Group 8 |
Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, awn terminal/sub-terminal/absent; very long glumesNo species in Group 8 in our area |
Not a single species in our area |
Group 9 |
Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, absent or terminal/sub-terminal awn; short glumes: |
53 species in our area Dactylis, Briza, Bromus (incl. Bromopsis, Ceratochloa et Anisthanta), (Vulpia – voir groupe 1), Festuca (incl. Patzkia), Glyceria, Poa, Catapodium, Schedonorus |
Group 10 |
Grasses with unusual sexuality - no flowers, or male and female flowers on separate inflorescences or separate plants |
Poa bulbosa var. vivipara, Molinia caerulea (vivipare), Pyllostachys, (Bamboos),Cortaderia selloana (Pampas Grass), Zea mays (Maize) |