GRASSES - FIRST STAGE (TO CHOOSE WHICH OF 10 GROUPS)

Either:-

Pedicels (stalk below spikelet) absent or very short

Inflorescence in a tight spike, or a ray of tight spikes Groups 1 and 2
or:-

Pedicels (stalk below spikelet) present, forming a panicle

Usually has an open structure, but may form a compact spike, hiding the pedicels Groups 3 to 9
or:-

Sexual deviants

Flowers may be entirely absent all year, be replaced by mini plants, or may have seperate male and female flowers. Group 10
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PEDICELS ABSENT (no stalk below each spikelet)

Inflorescence in form of a SPIKE

Groups 1 - 2

Either:-

Group 1

Single terminal spike, with spikelets having little or no stalk

See all species in Group 1

37 species in our area: Cynosurus, Hordeum, Hordelymus, Gaudinia, Psilurus, Nardus, Mibora, Brachypodium, Vulpia, Micropyrum, Lolium, Elytrigia, Aegilops (Triticum), Elymus
or:-

Group 2

2 or more spikes from main axis: with spikelets having little or no stalk

See all species in Group 2

4 species in our area: Echinochloa, Digitaria, Cynodon, Bothriochloa
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Groups 4 - 9

PEDICELS PRESENT (stalk below each spikelet) (groups 4 - 9)

Inflorescence in form of a PANICLE

Either:-

Group 3

Compact panicle forming a single spike: cylindrical, oval or spherical

The pedicel (stalk under each spikelet) is not initially easy to see

See all species in Group 3

27 species in our area: Echinaria, Phalaris, (Cynosurus—see group 1), Tragus, Setaria, Sesleria, Rostraria, Koeleria, Dactylis, Anthoxsanthum, Polypogon, Gastridium, Phleum, Alopecurus,
or:- Groups 4-9

Loose open panicle. May be tighter, more spike-like, at some stage of flowering or seeding

2 options below

The large majority of grasses in the Cévennes
Either:-
(Groups 4-9) 		Groups 4 - 5

Spreading panicle
only one fertile flower per spikelet (may also posess some infertile flowers)

Needs careful dissection of spikelet to view fertile and infertile florets
or:- Groups 6 - 9

Spreading panicle
several fertile flowers per spikelet
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Loose open panicle. Only one fertile flower per spikelet (may also posess some infertile flowers)

Groups 4 - 5

Either:-

Group 4a

Loose panicle, fertile spikelets mixed with sterile or male spikelets: Terminal axes articulated and fragile at maturity

No follow-on; single species in group

Sorghum halepense 		Single species in our area: Sorghum halepense
or:-

Group 4

Loose panicle, one fertile (hermaphrodite) floret, other florets sterile or male i.e. 3+ glumelles (sometimes reduced to scales):

See all species in Group 4

10 species in our area: Arrhenatherum, Panicum, Melica, Holcus,
or:-

Group 5

Loose panicle, one fertile (hermaphrodite) floret no other sterile i.e only 1-2 glumelles developed

See all species in Group 5

16 species in our area: Stipa, Calamagrostis, Agrostis, Piptatherum (incl. Oloptum), Achnatherum, Sporobolus, Milium
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Pedicels present, forming a loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets

Groups 6 - 9

Either:-

Group 6a

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, each surrounded by long white hairs, giving a silky panicle:

No follow-on; single species in group

Phragmites australis 		Single species in our area: Phragmites australis
or:-

Group 6

Loose panicle, 2+ (fertile) hermaphrodite florets, hairy ligule: spikelets almost always without awns:

See all species in Group 6

11 species in our area Danthonia, Eragrostis, Molinia, Kengia
or:- Groups 7-9

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule,

Continue to see all species in Group 7-9

Ligule, if present, is membranous, with no hairs Ignore hairs on the leaf or leaf-sheath

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule

Groups 7 - 9

Either:-
(Groups 7-9)

Group 7

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, dorsal awn. Very long glumes

See all species in Group 7

16 species in our area Avena, Helictochloa (=Avenula), Avenula, Corynephorus, Aira, Deschampsia, Trisetum
or:-

Group 8

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, awn terminal/sub-terminal/absent; very long glumes

No species in Group 8 in our area

Small group; just 3 species in southern France, none in our area
Includes some from Melica (see group 4), Avellinia, Airopsis
or:-

Group 9

Loose panicle, 2+ fertile (hermaphrodite) florets, membranous ligule, absent or terminal/sub-terminal awn; short glumes:

See all species in Group 9

53 species in our area Dactylis, Briza, Bromus (incl. Bromopsis, Ceratochloa et Anisthanta) , (Vulpia –see group I), Festuca (incl. Patzkia), Glyceria, Poa, Catapodium, Schedonorus
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SEXUAL DEVIANTS

Group 10

Grasses with unusual sexuality - no flowers, or male and female flowers on separate inflorescences or separate plants

See all species in Group 10

Poa bulbosa var. vivipara, Molinia caerulea (vivipare), Pyllostachys, (Bamboos),Cortaderia selloana (Pampas Grass), Zea mays (Maize)
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or Start again

THE END - I do hope you found what you were looking for

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