POACEAE [GRAMINEAE] – GRASS FAMILY
Plant: annuals or perennials Stem: jointed stem is termed a culm – internodial stem most often hollow but always solid at node, mostly round, some with stolons (creeping stem) or rhizomes (underground stem) Root: usually fibrous, often very abundant and dense Leaves: mostly linear, sessile, parallel veins, in 2 ranks (vertical rows), leaf sheath usually open or split and often overlapping, but may be closed Flowers: small in 2 rows forming a spikelet (1 to several flowers), may be 1 to many spikelets with pedicels or sessile to stem; each flower within a spikelet is between an outer limna (bract, with a midrib) and an inner palea (bract, 2-nerved or keeled usually) – these 3 parts together make the floret – the 2 bottom bracts of the spikelet do not have flowers and are termed glumes (may be reduced or absent), the rachilla is the axis that hold the florets; sepals and petals absent; 1-6 but often 3 stamens; 1 pistil, 1-3 but usually 2 styles, ovary superior, 1 ovule – there are exceptions to most everything!! Fruit: seed-like grain (seed usually fused to the pericarp (ovary wall) or not) Other: very large and important family; Monocotyledons Group Genera: 600+ genera; locally many genera 2 slides per species WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive POACEAE [GRAMINEAE] – CYNODONTEAE TRIBE
Sideoats Grama; Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. var. curtipendula - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Bermuda Grass; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (Introduced) - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Egyptian Grass [Durban Crowfoot]; Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd (Introduced) [Indian] Goose Grass; Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. (Introduced – Cynodonteae (Tribe) Stink Grass; Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. Ex Janchen (Introduced) - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Purple Love Grass; Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Sand [Thread] Love Grass; Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Alph. Wood - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Mucronate Sprangeltop; Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi ssp. Brachiata (Steud.) N. Snow - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Amazon Sprangletop; Leptochloa panicoides (J. Presl) Hitchc. - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Nimblewill; Muhlenbergia schreberi J.F. Gmel. - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Rock Muhly; Muhlenbergia sobolifera (Muhl. ex Willd.) Trin. - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Prairie Cord [Slough] Grass [Ripgut]; Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Purpletop Tridens [Tall Redtop]; Tridens flavus (L.) Hitchc. var. flavus - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Longspike Tridens; Tridens strictus (Nutt.) Nash - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Sea-Oats; Uniola paniculata L. - Cynodonteae (Tribe) Sideoats Grama – p1 USDA Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. var. curtipendula Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) La Petite Gemme Prairie, Polk County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect, to 1+ m, some clumping; Culm terete, nodes slightly swollen; Roots fibrous, with slender rhizomes; Leaf Blades glabrous to sometimes hairy; Leaf Sheaths hairy or not, open; Ligules membranous and ciliate; Inflorescence a panicle with 30 to 70+ spikes 1 to 2.5+ cm long; 3 to 7 spikelets per spike with 1 perfect and usually 1(rarely 2) sterile florets per spikelet; Glumes present, lower glume smaller than upper; sterile lemma often with longer awn than fertile lemma; disarticulating above glumes or the spikes may be shed whole; anthers usually red to reddish orange, usually not purple or yellow; plains and prairies; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2013] Sideoats Grama – p2 Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. var. curtipendula [V Max Brown, 2013]
Spike with several spikelets hanging down Spikelet Lower Glume Upper glume Spike axis
Reddish- orange anthers USDA Blades often Bermuda Grass – p1 hairy near Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (Introduced) base Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Nixa, Christian County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, decumbent to mostly creeping, with both rhizomes and stolons, mat forming, flowering stems erect; Culm terete, nodes swollen and greenish; Roots fibrous; Leaf Blades glabrous, often hairy near base; Leaf Sheaths glabrous; Ligules membranous (< 1 mm), hairy; Inflorescence of terminal spikes (palmate panicle), 2 to several spikes; Spikelets to 3+ mm, in 2 rows, appressed to Ligule small, 1 side of axis; Florets 1, perfect; Glumes present, single membranous, nerve, to 2 mm; Lemma to 3mm, keeled, with hairs; Palea with hairs mostly glabrous; early summer to fall (variable species) [V Max Brown, 2013]
Roots at node
Long Stolons, rooting at nodes Bermuda Grass – p2 Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (Introduced) [V Max Brown, 2013] Inflorescence of 2 to several terminal spikes
Lemma Palea
Upper Glume
Lower Glume Spikelets tightly appressed and slightly offset in 2 rows on one A single Spikelet side of the spike or axis Egyptian Grass [Durban Crowfoot] - p1 USDA Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd (Introduced) Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida Notes: Plant annual to perennial, stolons or not, tuft-forming or not; stems erect; Culm terete, up to 100 cm, may root at lower nodes; Roots fibrous; Leaf Blades with some hairs; Leaf Sheaths hairy distally; Ligules membranous (to 1.5 mm); Inflorescence of 2 to 6 (usually) panicle branches (up to 6 mm), branch axes extend beyond spikelets; Spikelets to 4+ mm, in 2 rows on axis; Florets 3 to 7, perfect; Glumes present, upper with awn (see p2 for details of spikelets); a widespread weedy species; spring [V Max Brown, 2016] Egyptian Grass [Durban Crowfoot] – p2 Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd (Introduced) [V Max Brown, 2016]
Inflorescence usually has 2 to 6 branches up to 6 cm in length, each branch has a double row of spikelets; note that the axis of the inflorescence branch extends beyond the spikelets
Glume with awn
Florets
Upper glume with awn, glume awns vary from 1 Lower glume to 2.5 mm (no awn)
Spikelet (3 to 4+ mm) usually has 3 to 7 florets, lemmas with small awns, paleas similar to lemmas but no awns [Indian] Goose Grass – p1 USDA Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. (Introduced Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Strafford, Dallas County, Missouri Notes: Plant annual, spreading to somewhat ascending; Culm terete but somewhat flattened or compressed toward base, flowering stem erect; Roots fibrous; Leaf Blades up to 8 mm, up to 40 cm long; Leaf Sheaths keeled, some long hairs; Ligules membranous (up to 1+ mm); Inflorescence a panicle of 4-9(10) spikes (branches) up to 10 to 12 cm; Spikelets attached to rachilla in 2 rows (alterntely angled) on the base of the branch, spikelets up to 7+ mm; Florets (2 to mostly 5 - 7 ); Glumes present, lower glume smaller than upper (up to 5 mm), lower; Lemma up to 4 mm; Palea smaller than lemma; seed reddish to reddish brown; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2013] [Indian] Goose Grass – p2 Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. (Introduced) [V Max Brown, 2013]
This Inflorescence with 5 spikes, each spike with 2 rows of spikelets (alternately angled) on the lower side of the spike
Number of florets varies up to about 7 Fertile Florets
Upper Glume longer Lower Glume
A single Spikelet Stink Grass – p1 USDA Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen (Introduced) Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Strafford, Greene County, Missouri Notes: Plant annual, erect to somewhat decumbent (up to 50+ cm), tuft forming; Culm terete, motly glabrous, glands near nodes; Roots fibrous; Leaf blades up to 1 cm wide, 20 cm long, glabrous, some glands present; Leaf Sheaths long hairy; Ligules membranous (up to 1 mm); Inflorescence a panicle (15 to 20 cm long), warty glands found at branch axils; spikelets up to 2.5 cm long, on short stalks from branches; 10 to 40 perfect florets; Glumes present, often with warty resinous glands on keel or midrib; many glands habitats; summer to fall (has an odor when fresh specimens are crushed) [V Max Brown, 2013] Stink Grass – p2 Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen (Introduced) [V Max Brown, 2013]
Spikelets vary with 10 to 40 perfect florets Small hairy and warty glands in axils of inflorescence branches
Spikelets age from bottom up and florets disarticulate leaving paleas and rachis
18 mm
Glumes with warty glands on midrib Purple Love Grass – p1 USDA Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Prairie State Park, Barton County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, mostly erect (up to 70+ cm), tuft forming; Culm terete, mostly glabrous; Roots fibrous with short knotty rhizomes; Leaf blades less than 1 cm wide, up to 40+ cm long, large tuft of hair at base, otherwise glabrous or hiary; Leaf Sheaths long hairy at tip, maybe some on margins; Ligules membranous and small; Inflorescence a large open panicle (up to 75% of plant height), branches very rough; spikelets 3 to 7+ mm and about 1 to 2.5 mm Tuft of long hair at base of leaf sheath, wide, on short to long stalks, often with a strong reddish Pulvini (swelling at ligule (small) tinge; 6 to 12 perfect florets; Glumes present (see photos base of secondary membranous on p2); Lemmas with 3 veins, lateral veins very prominent; axis of inflorescence) many habitats, common; summer to fall usually with hairs 5+ [V Max Brown, 2013] mm long
Short, knotty rhizomes Red spikelets, Purple Love Grass – p2 inflorescence 0.5 to Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. 0.75 of total plant [V Max Brown, 2013] height
Spilelet, flattened, with 6 to 12 florets, usually reddish in color
Floret, perfect, lemma with acute tip, 3-veined, and with a roughened keel
palea
5 mm
Roughened keel of Lemma
glumes Pronounced lateral vein of Lemma Sand [Thread] Love Grass – p1 USDA Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Alph. Wood Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Ozark Technical College Campus, Christian County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect to decumbent (up to 1.4 m), tuft forming; Culm terete, mostly glabrous; Roots fibrous; Leaf blades less than 1 cm wide, up to 50+ cm long, tuffs of hair at base, otherwise glabrous; Leaf Sheaths long hairy at tip; Ligules a band of fused hair (up to 0.5 mm); Inflorescence a large open panicle (up to 75+ cm long), Base of leaf blade branches mostly glabrous, tending to spread; spikelets Ligule a band and/or tip of sheath of fused hairs up to 12+ mm long and 3+ mm wide, on short to long with long tufts of hairs stalks, green to yellow with reddish tinge; number of perfect florets vary but 4 to 10 common; Glumes present, lower glume (up to 4+ mm) longer than upper glume and lemmas; lemmas up to 3.5 mm; many habitats; summer to fall (has an odor when fresh specimens are crushed) [V Max Brown, 2013] Sand [Thread] Love Grass – p2 Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Alph. Wood [V Max Brown, 2013]
Below a Spikelet with 7 florets, glumes stretched out from florets
Perfect Florets (few to many but often 4 to 8+)
Lemmas with sharp points, keeled, lateral veins easy to see)
8.5 mm
Inflorescence a spreading open panicle - can make up half of height Note long of plant (to 50 to 80+ cm tall) lower Glume
Greenish to Yellowish, often Upper glume with a reddish purple tinge Mucronate Sprangeltop – p1 USDA Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi ssp. Brachiata (Steud.) N. Snow Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Strafford, Greene County, Missouri Notes: Plant annual, erect (up to 120-150 cm), tuft forming; Culm terete, glabrous, branching; Roots fibrous; Leaf blades < 1 cm wide, up to 30-40+ cm long, glabrous to somewhat hairy; Leaf Sheaths open, some to densely hairy (pustular based); Ligules membranous (up to 3 mm, erose); Inflorescence an open panicle (to 35 cm long), with few to 100+ spreading branches (racemes), spikelets from the main axis to tip of branches; spikelets from 2-4 mm, mostly on one side (pendant) of branch axis; 2-4 perfect florets; Glumes present (see photos on p2), glumes shorter than rest of spikelets; many habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013]
Pustular based hairs on leaf Erose sheath membranous Ligule Few to as Mucronate Sprangeltop – p2 many as 100 Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi ssp. inflorescence Brachiata (Steud.) N. Snow branches [V Max Brown, 2013]
Spikelet with Glumes spread apart showing 3 perfect florets, number of florets vary from 2 to 4 florets per 2.5 mm spikelet, spikelets vary from 2 to 4 mm in length Racemose, somewhat one-sided branch of inflorescence
Lemma
Lemma
Palea
Upper Glume is shorter Lower than rest of Glume spikelet Amazon Sprangletop – p1 USDA Leptochloa panicoides (J. Presl) Hitchc. Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Big Cane Conservation Area, Butler County, Missouri Notes: Plant annual, erect (up to 100 cm), tuft forming; Culm terete, glabrous; Roots fibrous; Leaf blades < 1+ cm wide, 20+ cm long, glabrous, sometimes slightly roughned; Leaf Sheaths open, slightly keeled, mostly glabrous; Ligules membranous (up to 4 mm), somewhat erose; Inflorescence an open panicle (to 35 cm long), with up to 90+ ascending to spreading branches (racemes), spikelets from the main axis to tip of branches; spikelets from 4 to 5 mm on short stalks, mostly on one side (pendant) of branch axis; 4 to 7 perfect florets; Glumes present (see photos on p2); lemmas with minute sharp point; many different, often moist habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013] Amazon Sprangletop – p2 Leptochloa panicoides (J. Presl) Hitchc. [V Max Brown, 2013]
Lemmas with sharp points
Lemma
4.5 mm
palea
Spikelet with 6 perfect florets
Panicle of one sided pendant racemes (not in rows) – up to 90+ raceme branches Nimblewill - p1 USDA Muhlenbergia schreberi J.F. Gmel. Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Fellows Lake area, Greene County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect to somewhat sprawling at maturity, up to 70-80 mm; Culm terete, some hairs or glabrous at nodes, may root at lower nodes, no rhizomes; Roots fibrous; Leaf Blades mostly glabrous, up to 10 cm, < 4mm wide; Leaf Sheaths mostly glabrous; Ligules membranous and ciliate; Inflorescence a somewhat cylindrical panicle up to 14+ cm; single Spikelets (1 to 4 mm) on short pedicels (< 2x length of spikelet); single fertile floret; glumes very small with little overlapping at base; Lemma 3 veined with awn 1 or 2 to 5 mm long, hairs at base of callus, caryopsis fusiform in shape; many habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013] Nimblewill – p2 Muhlenbergia schreberi J.F. Gmel. [V Max Brown, 2013] Inflorescences
Caryopsis
Floret is 2 mm in this sample
Lemma awn from 1(2) to 5+ mm
Upper Glume
Lower Glume, Glumes very Callus is hairy, floret is small, little here disarticulated overlap at base above the small glumes
Lemma Palea Rock Muhly - p1 USDA Muhlenbergia sobolifera (Muhl. ex Willd.) Trin. Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Alley Springs Area, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect to ascending, up to 1 m (usually shorter); Culm terete, usually shiny and glabrous between nodes; Roots fibrous, well developed rhizomes; Leaf Blades glabrous, < 1 cm wide; Leaf Sheaths mostly glabrous; Ligules membranous; Inflorescence mostly a terminal panicle; Spikelets (1 to 3 mm) on short pedicels (< 2 mm); single fertile floret; glumes length over 0.5X of lemma, overlapping Culm shiny at base, acute tip (rarely awned); Limma 3 and glabrous veined usually, 1.4 to 3 mm, acute tip, short hairy at base; dry woodlands, rock ledges, and other habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013]
Scaly Rhizomes Inflorescence a terminal panicle, Rock Muhly - p2 pedicels vary (usually < 2 mm), Muhlenbergia sobolifera (Muhl. Ex Willd.) Trin. spikelets overlapping and strongly [V Max Brown, 2013] ascending along rachilla
2 mm Inflorescence often not branched
Glume
Lemma
Base of Lemma with hairs Long and short pedicels Prairie Cord [Slough] Grass USDA [Ripgut] – p1 Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Near Prairie State Park, Barton County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect (up to 1 to 2 m), tuft forming; Culm terete, mostly glabrous; Roots fibrous with large scaly rhizomes; Leaf blades mostly less than 1.5 cm wide, up to 80+ cm long, mostly glabrous except rough on edges (sharp); Leaf Sheaths mostly glabrous; Ligules a band of hairs; Inflorescence a pinnate terminal panicle of 10 to 50- 80+ spikes up to 12+ cm, main axis triangular with rough Ligule a band of hairs bristles; spikelets strongly flattened in 2 rows, to 10+ mm; 1 perfect floret per spikelet; Glumes present (see photos on p2); Lemmas 1 veined, keeled; many habitats, somewhat common; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2013]
Large scaly rhizomes Prairie Cord [Slough] Grass [Ripgut] – p2 Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link [V Max Brown, 2013]
Spikelet with 1 Main inflorescence, upper perfect floret, axis triangular with Glume strongly flattened rough “teeth” on with awn edges
Spike branch 1 perfect Floret Axis
Lemma Spikelets strongly floret flattened and Lower interleaved in 2 rows Glume on spike axis
10 mm
Spike Axis palea Purpletop Tridens [Tall Redtop] – p1 USDA Tridens flavus (L.) Hitchc. var. flavus Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Below Dam, Clearwater Lake, Wayne County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect (up to 150-180+ cm), tuft forming; Culm terete, somewhat flattened at base, glabrous; Roots fibrous, knotty rhizomes; Leaf blades up to 1+ cm wide, 40+ cm long, glabrous (hairy at base sometimes), attenuating at base; Leaf Sheaths open, keeled, glabrous but dense hairy at tip; Ligules membranous (up to 0.5 mm) and ciliate; Inflorescence an open panicle (to 40 cm long), pulvini with hairs only on top (not all around) at base of main branches, branches usually nodding at maturity; spikelets up to 9+ mm long, usually red colored; 4 to 6 perfect florets; Glumes present, shorter than lemmas (see photos); many different habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013] Purpletop Tridens [Tall Redtop] – p2 Inflorencence Tridens flavus (L.) Hitchc. var. flavus (when erect) with [V Max Brown, 2013] branches drooping or nodding
Perfect Florets (few to many but often 4 to 8+)
Short awn between 2 teeth
Lemma Spikelet 2 mm wide, 6 mm long
Palea
3.2 mm
Pulvini (swelling at base of branch) – note hairy only on top of pulvini (not all way around – v. flavus) Longspike Tridens – p1 USDA Tridens strictus (Nutt.) Nash Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Big Cane Conservation Area, Butler County, Missouri Notes: Plant perennial, erect (up to 170 cm), tuft forming; Culm terete (a little flattened), glabrous; Roots fibrous, with or without knotty short rhizomes; Leaf blades < 1 cm wide, 60+ cm long, glabrous; Leaf Sheaths open, rounded at collar with some hairs usually; Ligules membranous (up to 0.5+ mm) and ciliate; Inflorescence a dense, spike-like panicle (to 30-40 cm long); spikelets 4 to 7 mm long; 5 to 11 perfect florets; Glumes subequal, longer than adjacent lemmas, most equal to or greater than length of all florets; lemma veins with pilose hairs at least half-way up from base; many different habitats; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2013] Longspike Tridens – p2 Tridens strictus (Nutt.) Nash [V Max Brown, 2013]
Glumes much longer than adjacent lemmas, often as long all florets (or spikelet), upper glume with 1 strong nerve
palea
5 mm
Lemma Veins of lemma pilose (long soft straight This Spikelet with 8 hairy) at least up to half the length of the perfect florets lemma Sea-Oats – p1 USDA Uniola paniculata L. Poaceae (Grass Family); Cynodonteae (Tribe) Tybee Island, Georgia Notes: Plant perennial, forms tufts; Culm mostly terete, flowering stem erect (up to 2.5 m); Roots fibrous, with rhizomes; Leaves mostly basal, blades up to 1 cm wide, up to 60+ cm long, mostly glabrous; Leaf Sheaths mostly glabrous, hairs at collar region; Inflorescence a long (up to 60+ cm) open panicles with nodding branches at maturity; Spikelets up to 5 cm, strongly flattened; Florets (5-30+), lower ones sterile; Glumes present; important plant in dune stabilization forming clumps [V Max Brown, 2006] Sea-Oats – p2 Uniola paniculata L. [V Max Brown, 2013]